THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURAL COME TO ORDER. GOOD
AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THE SENATE
CONTINUES TO WELCOME THE PUBLIC
AND HAS PROVIDED ACCESS TO BOTH
IN PERSON AND TELECONFERENCE
PARTICIPATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
FOR INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT VIA
TELECONFERENCE SERVICE
PARTICIPANT TOLL FREE NUMBER IS
1877. 2268. AND THE ACCESS CODE
IS 57000. WE ALSO HAVE
REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE
PARTICIPATING, REMOTE REMOTELY.
FOR TODAY'S HEARING. WE WILL BE
HEARING ALL OF THE PANELISTS ON
THE AGENDA PARTY TAKING ANY
PUBLIC COMMENT ONCE WE HAVE
HEARD ALL OF THE PANELISTS, WE
WILL HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO
COMMENT ON THE TOPICS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA. TODAY'S HEARING IS
TITLED NAVIGATING THREATS TO
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE. CLIMATE
CHANGE IS THE GREATEST THREAT
FACING MANKIND. BY 2050 WERE
EXPECTING THE GLOBAL POPULATION
TO TOP 9 BILLION PEOPLE WITH A
NEED TO INCREASE FOOD PRODUCTION
BY 60. AND ACCORDING TO THE
UNITED NATIONS, EVERY MINUTE WE
LOSE ABOUT 23 HECTARES OF ARABLE
LAND WORLDWIDE TO DROUGHT AND
DESERTIFICATION. DURING MY TIME
IN THE STATE SENATE. I HAVE
GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY CONCERNED
WITH WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE AN
ADDITIONAL THREAT TO OUR FOOD
SECURITY, AND THAT IS A THREAT
THAT AGRICULTURAL LAND
ACQUISITIONS POSE. LAST YEAR
ALONE, JUST IN THE CENTRAL
VALLEY, ONE BROKERAGE FIRM THAT
SPECIALIZES IN AG LAND SALES
OVER SUCH TRANSACTIONS COVERING
6024 ACRES AND SPECIALTY CROPS.
OVER 8479 ACRES IN VARIOUS SALES
AND OVER 17,329 ACRES AND OPEN
LAND DEVELOPMENT PROPERTIES. AND
THEY EXPECT A LOT MORE
TRANSACTIONS THIS YEAR. AND MANY
OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS BEING 10
31 EXCHANGES. ACCORDING TO THE
PRESS RELEASE. AT THE SAME TIME,
WE HAVE WITNESSED SOME OF THIS
LAND BEING PURCHASED BY
ANONYMOUS COMPANIES, OTHERS
BEING PURCHASED BY PUBLIC
PENSIONS BACK FROM OTHER
NATIONS. EVEN MORE CONCERNING
I'VE HAD TOUGH CONVERSATIONS
WITH MANY FARMERS ACROSS THE
SENATE-DISTRICT THAT I
REPRESENT, UM BIT. THEY'RE JUST
LIVING IN FEAR OF HAVING TO GO
BANKRUPT. OR BEING FORCED INTO
SELLING BECAUSE THEY THEY FEEL
BEING PUSHED OUT. BY OUTSIDE
INTEREST AND, WELL, WE HAVE WELL
INTENTIONED LAWS AND POLICIES
THAT ARE BEING USED TO THREATEN
THEIR LIVELIHOODS. UM BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT IT IS. YOU'RE
FARMING REALLY IS ABOUT FAMILY.
IT'S ABOUT HARD WORK. IT'S ABOUT
GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY AND
PROVIDING FOOD TO MILLIONS
AROUND THE WORLD. AND TO THOSE
STRUGGLING FARMERS HAS NEVER
BEEN ABOUT PROFITS. IT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT FAMILY AND
GIVING BACK SO THERE'S A LOT AT
STAKE HERE, AND IT'S NOT JUST
ABOUT GROWING THE FOOD WE NEED
TO SURVIVE. THIS PRODUCTIVE LAND
IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR VARIOUS
REASONS LIKE MINERAL RIGHTS,
WATER RIGHTS THAT CAN PUT BIG
INTEREST IN CONTROL OF OUR VERY
BASIC NEEDS. UM AND A LOT OF
THIS, THE DATA THAT IS DRIVING
THESE INVESTMENTS IS AT THE
HANDS OF A FEW. SO OVER THE LAST
TWO YEARS, I HAVE MADE EVERY
EFFORT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND
SHED LIGHT ON IT. I HAVE
SPONSORED TWO PIECES OF
LEGISLATION, AND I HAVE ALSO
WORKED WITH OTHER COLLEAGUES
LIKE STATE SENATOR DAVID CORTEZ
E WHO HELPED ME DRAFT TWO
LETTERS JUST LAST YEAR,
EXPRESSING OUR CONCERNS TO THE
U. S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
ASKING THEM TO INVESTIGATE
POSSIBLE ABUSES. BUT HERE WE ARE
TODAY. AND WHILE AT TIMES IT HAS
FELT EASIER TO JUST GIVE UP. IT
IS GOOD PEOPLE LIKE THOSE YOU'LL
BE HEARING FROM TODAY ON THIS
PANEL THAT WILL BE SPEAKING THAT
CONTINUE TO MOTIVATE ME AND HELP
ME BRING TRANSPARENCY INTO WHAT
IS HAPPENING. THIS DOESN'T MEAN
THAT ALL INVESTORS ARE BAD
ACTORS, BUT THERE IS NO REASON
TO HIDE YOUR TRUE IDENTITY AND
OR THE MONEY BEHIND IT IN THE
CAYMAN ISLANDS. THIS IS A STATE
AND NATION THAT BELIEVES THAT
THIS LAND IS A LAND OF
OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE NEED TO HIDE
YOUR IDENTITY. AND WE HAVE TO
ASK OURSELVES WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
THE STATE DOESN'T KNOW WHO IS
BUYING OUR RAGLAND OR FOR WHAT
PURPOSE? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN URBAN
SPRAWL TAKES OVER PRIME AG LAND
AND CALIFORNIA CAN NO LONGER BE
THE BREADBASKET? TO THE WORLD
AND WHAT HAPPENS IF A HOSTILE
ACTOR PURCHASES THE LAND AND WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO USE
THAT LAND FOR SO TODAY IT IS MY
HOPE THAT THOSE THAT ARE
WATCHING GET SOME INSIGHT INTO
ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS
FACING AGRICULTURE IN OUR
NATION. AND THAT WE WORK
COLLABORATIVELY ON EVERY LEVEL
TO ENSURE THAT CALIFORNIA
CONTINUES TO BE STRONG WHILE
PROTECTING ONE OF THE STATE'S
MOST CRITICAL RESOURCE. AND SO
AT THIS MOMENT, I REALLY WANT TO
JUST OPEN IT UP TO MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE IF THEY WANT TO
PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS, UM FOR THE
OPENING STATEMENT. UH, SENATOR
DODD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIR
HER TATO. I WANT TO THANK YOU
AND YOUR STAFF ARE HOLDING THIS
HEARING AND HAVE ME JOIN THE
PROTECTION OF CALIFORNIA'S
AGRICULTURAL NATURE IS A
CRITICAL ISSUE IN EVERY CORNER
OF OUR STATE. OUR FARMS, FEED
THE NATION AND PLAY IMPORTANT
ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
CLEAN ENERGY, CARBON
SEQUESTRATION AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. I'M PROUD TO
REPRESENT A DISTRICT RICH WITH
VALUE CULTURE. MANY ARE FAMILIAR
WITH THE WORLD FAMOUS WINE
GROWING REGIONS. I REPRESENT
NAPA AND SONOMA COUNTIES. BUT I
ALSO REPRESENTS SOLANO COUNTY,
WHICH IS A MAJOR EGG REGION
PRODUCING GREAT WINE, ALONG WITH
LIVESTOCK AND CROPS. IN FACT,
AGRICULTURAL LAND MAKES UP 62%
OF SOLANO AND THE COUNTY RANKS
AMONG THE TOP FIVE COUNTIES IN
CALIFORNIA FOR PRODUCTION OF
SHEEP AND LAMB. GRAIN CORN. HEY
AND SAFFLOWER. EGG PRODUCTION
AND RELATED BUSINESSES GENERATE
ALMOST 1.3 BILLION EACH YEAR,
CREATING THOUSANDS OF JOBS
AROUND THE COUNTY. SAFE TO SAY
SLAUGHTER COUNTY CONTRIBUTES
GREATLY TO CALIFORNIA'S
REPUTATION OF BEING AMERICA'S
BREADBASKET. SO PEOPLE IN MY
DISTRICT WOULD BE UNDER
STANDARD. LEE ALARMED BY A
COMPANY OPERATING IN THE SHADOWS
, BUYING LARGE TRACTS IN SOLANO
COUNTY, EGLAND FOR THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS. NOW RECENT
REPORTS INDICATE THEIR INTENT TO
PUSH DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE SWATH
OF AGRICULTURAL ITS OWN LAND
INTO SOME NEW CITY. WE NEED TO
BUILD MORE HOUSING. CERTAINLY.
BUT WE NEED TO DO IT IN A
THOUGHTFUL WAY WITH PUBLIC INPUT
AND GUIDED WITH THOUGHTFUL
GENERAL PLANS. AND WE CANNOT LET
SPRAWL THREATEN THE ABILITY TO
PRODUCE FEED FOOD. EXCUSE ME.
PHONES AT MY OFFICE HAVE BEEN
RINGING OFF THE HOOK TO SAY THE
LEAST WITH LAST WEEK'S STORY
ABOUT THE NEW IN THE NEW YORK
TIMES, AND I SHARE MANY OF THEIR
QUESTIONS AND THEIR CONCERNS. IN
NAPA COUNTY. WE FOUGHT SPRAWL BY
ENACTING A REVOLUTIONARY
AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE 55 YEARS
AGO. THE BOTTOM LINE IS AS A
STATE WE MUST PROTECT AND
PRESERVE EGG LANDS AND OPEN
SPACE. AND PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS
ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT WITH
FARMERS IS CRITICAL. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY CHAIR
TATO TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY
AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. WE ALSO
HAVE SENATOR MARIA ALVARADO GIL.
THANK YOU CHAIR TO WELCOME OUR
GUESTS TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO
SAY THAT AGRICULTURE IN
CALIFORNIA IS A SIGNIFICANT
INDUSTRY. I REPRESENT
SENATE-DISTRICT FOUR, WHICH IS
13 COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA IN THE
EASTERN SIERRAS IN CENTRAL
VALLEY. CALIFORNIA HAS A DIVERSE
RANGE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS,
INCLUDING FRUITS, VEGETABLES,
NUTS, DAIRY PRODUCTS AND WINE IN
THE STATE IS KNOWN FOR ITS VAST
FARMLANDS, FAVORABLE CLIMATE AND
ADVANCED FARMING PRACTICES. WE
STAND AT THE FOREFRONT OF
TECHNOLOGY, FARMING AND
AGRICULTURE. WHERE THE LEADING
AGRICULTURAL STATE IN THE US
PRODUCING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION
PORTION OF THE COUNTRY'S FRUITS,
VEGETABLES AND NUTS. WE ARE ALSO
MAJOR EXPORTER OF AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTS WORLDWIDE. OUR
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY
CONTRIBUTES BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
TO THE ECONOMY AND PROVIDES
NUMEROUS JOBS FOR FARMERS,
FARMWORKERS, PRODUCERS AND OTHER
INDUSTRIES. ARE FAVORABLE
CLIMATE ALLOWS FOR YEAR ROUND
CULTIVATION OF VARIOUS CROPS,
INCLUDING IN CALIFORNIA'S
CENTRAL VALLEY. WITH ITS FERTILE
SOIL AND ABUNDANT WATER
RESOURCES IS PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT FOR AGRICULTURE. THE
REGION IS KNOWN AS THE
BREADBASKET OF THE WORLD, BUT
IT'S UP TO US TO KEEP IT THAT
WAY. HOWEVER AGRICULTURE IN
CALIFORNIA DOES FACE VARIOUS
CHALLENGES AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY. WATER
SCARCITY IS A SIGNIFICANT
CONCERN WITH DROUGHTS IMPACTING
WATER AVAILABILITY FOR
IRRIGATION. OUR LAND. THIS CAN
LEAD TO WATER SHORTAGES AND
REDUCE CROP YIELDS, PESTS AND
DISEASES ALSO POST THREATS TO
CROPS LEADING TO REDUCE
PRODUCTIVITY AND THE NEED FOR
PEST MANAGEMENT. WILDFIRE IS
ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR
AGRICULTURE IN CALIFORNIA.
WILDFIRE CAN DESTROY CROPS,
FARMLANDS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND
LEADING TO SIGNIFICANT LOSSES TO
FARMERS. CLIMATE CHANGE IS
EXASPERATING. THESE CHALLENGES
BY ALTERING ALTERING TEMPERATURE
AND RAINFALL PATTERNS AFFECTING
CROP GROWTH AND WATER
AVAILABILITY. THESE ARE SOME OF
THE CONCERNS THAT WE TALKED
ABOUT FREQUENTLY HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. WHAT WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT IS OFTEN AS IMPORTANT
TOPIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT TODAY IS CONTROL AND
REGULATION AND OVERSIGHT OF OUR
OWN CALIFORNIA LANDS HERE, SO I
APPLAUD OUR CHAIR FOR BRINGING
FORWARD TODAY'S TOPIC. THANK YOU
FOR MAKING FOR PUTTING A
HIGHLIGHT ON THE RISKS THAT WE
FACE AS A STATE IN ORDER TO HAVE
OUR RAGLAN FOR TODAY AND FOR
FAMILIES AND FUTURE FOR
TOMORROW. SENATOR PADILLA. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JUST BRIEFLY.
I WOULD THANK YOU AS WELL FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE
INFORMATIONAL HEARING AND
BRINGING THIS CONVERSATION WHICH
IS MORE THAN TIMELY. UH THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS
DIALOGUE, I WOULD ECHO AND
ASSOCIATE MYSELF WITH APARTMENTS
. BOTH MY COLLEAGUES. I HAVE
LIMITED TIME IN THE INTEREST OF
TIME. MADAM CHAIR. I'M HAPPY TO
GO TO OUR PANELISTS. I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THEM.
OKAY WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO
OUR PANEL. ARE SPEAKERS HERE
TODAY? I KNOW THAT YOU COME FROM
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
TRAVEL AND I'M WE'RE ALL LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU YOUR
EXPERTISE IN THE MATTER, SO
WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST
SPEAKER AND I APOLOGIZE IN
ADVANCE IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR
NAME FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE
PANEL, WE WILL BEGIN WITH NATE
HALVERSON. SO PLEASE BEGIN WHERE
YOU ARE READY. UH HUH. I LIKE TO
THANK THE MEMBERS FOR HAVING ME
AND THE STAFFERS FOR PUTTING IT
TOGETHER, AND SENATE CHAIRWOMAN
MELISSA HURTADO FOR ORGANIZING A
SCREENING OF THE FILM THE GRAB
THAT WE MADE FOR LAWMAKERS IN
JUNE. I AM NATE HOLVERSON I'M
REPORTER AND PRODUCER AT THE
CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTING. UM, IT'S A NONPROFIT
NEWSROOM THAT GOES BACK TO THE
SEVENTIES, WE PUT OUT A WEEKLY
RADIO PROGRAM ON NPR CALLED
CALLED REVEAL. AND UH, ALONG
WITH DIRECTOR GABRIELLA COPPER
THWAITE, WHO DID BLACKFISH AND
THEN HAS DONE A SERIES OF
HOLLYWOOD SCRIPTED MOVIES. WE
MADE A FILM CALLED THE GRAB THAT
LOOKS AT THE GROWING IMPORTANCE
ON A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
LEVEL OF FOOD AND WATER ISSUES
AND HOW IT IS BEGINNING TO DRIVE
GEOPOLITICAL CONFLICT AROUND THE
WORLD. WE COVERED TOPICS HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS IN
AFRICA, EUROPE, EVEN SOME ISSUES
UNDERLYING THE UKRAINE RUSSIAN
WAR. AND SOME OF THE STORIES
THAT I'VE BROKE ON THIS TOPIC IN
THE LAST DECADE OR SO, AS IS I
WAS ASKED BY PBS NEWS HOUR TO
LOOK INTO XUAN WEI, CHINA'S
LARGEST MEAT COMPANY, BUYING
SMITHFIELD FOODS, WHICH IS
EFFECTIVELY ONE IN FOUR AMERICAN
PIGS, AND I WORKED WITH SENATOR
STABENOW AND OTHERS AND WENT TO
CHINA AND MET WITH THE FOLKS
RUNNING SHUANG WEN. I WAS ABLE
TO BASICALLY DEFINITIVELY SHOW
THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS
BEHIND THE DEAL. THEY HELPED
FINANCE THE DEAL. THEY GAVE A
LOAN EFFECTIVELY. OF ABOUT $5
BILLION OVERNIGHT BECAUSE IT
FITS INTO THEIR FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THEIR NATIONAL STRATEGY OF
PURCHASING FOOD AND WATER ASSETS
AROUND THE WORLD. AS THAT
GOVERNMENT BECOMES INCREASINGLY
CONCERNED ABOUT ITS ABILITY TO
FEED ITS POPULATION, UM AND THE
ABILITY OF OTHER COUNTRIES TO
FEED THEIR POPULATIONS. I DID A
STORY HERE IN CALIFORNIA ABOUT
EIGHT YEARS AGO, WHEN I CAME
ACROSS A USGS SCIENTIST MICHELLE
SNEED, WHO HAD DISCOVERED THAT
CALIFORNIA WAS THINKING AT
RECORD RATES NOT SEEN SINCE THE
AQUEDUCTS WERE PUT IN. I DID
THAT NATIONALS STORY. WE BROKE
THAT NEWS. I THINK IT GOT A LOT
OF COVERAGE. AND THEN I DID A
STORY ABOUT I WANTED TO KNOW. I
WENT AND MET WITH, UH, SOME
FOLKS IN THE U. S INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
OTHER COUNTRIES BEYOND CHINA OR
INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT
FOOD AND WATER ISSUES. SAUDI
ARABIA WAS ONE OF THE COUNTRIES
THAT CAME UP AND I BROKE A STORY
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO SHOWING
THAT CHINA'S OR EXCUSE ME. SAUDI
ARABIA'S IF I SEEM NERVOUS, IT'S
BECAUSE I'M USUALLY WITH A NOTE
PAD ON THE OTHER SIDE AND
REPORTING ON THESE NOT ACTUALLY
SPEAKING IN THEM, UH, ABOUT
SAUDI ARABIA AS LARGEST DAIRY
COMPANY BUYING ABOUT 15 SQUARE
MILES IN ARIZONA. THAT STORY, OF
COURSE, HAS BEEN COVERED WIDELY
NOW, NATIONALLY AND
INTERNATIONALLY. FOR THE LAST
EIGHT YEARS. COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO, I DID AN ADDENDUM TO THAT
STORY THAT SHOWED THAT THE
ARIZONA STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM
AND ACTUALLY INVESTED $175
MILLION INTO AN INVESTMENT
COMPANY THAT SIMILAR THAT BOUGHT
LAND RIGHT NEAR THE SAUDI FARM
AND WAS LEASING IT TO AN EMIRATI
COMPANY CONNECTED TO THE EMIRATI
ROYAL FAMILY AND SHIPPING THAT
HEY, OVERSEAS, SO DESPITE ALL OF
THE POLITICAL CRITIQUE FROM
ARIZONA POLITICIANS REGARDING
THE SAUDI FARM THEIR OWN PENSION
FUNDS FOR STATE WORKERS IS
ACTUALLY INVESTED IN A SIMILAR
SCHEME THAT'S SENDING THEIR
WATER THEIR LIMITED WATER
OVERSEAS. SO THE GRAB THE FILM
IN MY REPORTING KIND OF FOCUS ON
REALLY ON THREE TOPICS, WATER
AND FOOD IS OF GROWING
IMPORTANCE IN 2012, THE U. S
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY PUT
TOGETHER A NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
ESTIMATE, WHICH IS THE U. S
GOVERNMENT'S HIGHEST FORM OF
INTELLIGENCE PRODUCT, AND THEY
DID IT SPECIFICALLY ON WATER,
AND IT WAS LED BY A FORMER C I A
OFFICER, ALSO A MAJOR GENERAL IN
THE AIR FORCE, AND RICHARD ENGEL
, AND HIS QUOTE WHEN HE ROLLED
THIS OUT, WAS WE KNOW THAT
FRESHWATER SUPPLIES WON'T KEEP
UP WITH DEMAND IF WE MAINTAIN
BUSINESS AS USUAL. AND WHAT HE
WAS STRESSING WAS THAT UNDER THE
CURRENT SYSTEM OF FARMING AND
WATER USE, IT WAS ON A
DEVASTATING COURSE. EVEN ABSENT
CLIMATE CHANGE, AND, OF COURSE,
CLIMATE CHANGE IS EXACERBATING
THESE CONDITIONS, BUT EVEN
ABSENT CLIMATE CHANGE, THE
CURRENT COURSE OF FOOD AND WATER
ISSUES WAS GOING TO LEAD TO A
BREAKDOWN IN SOCIAL COHESION,
COHESION AMONG MANY U. S ALLIES.
AND WE WOULD EVEN SEE REGIONAL
ISSUES, PARTICULARLY IN THE
WESTERN UNITED STATES. UM I GOT
MY HANDS ON A NESTLE CABLE. WHEN
THIS CLASSIFIED CABLE IN THE
STATE DEPARTMENT WENT TO NESTLE
HEADQUARTERS IN 2009. NESTLE
BASICALLY SAID, FORGET ABOUT THE
GREAT FINANCIAL CRISIS. THE
WORLD'S RUNNING OUT OF ENOUGH
WATER TO FEED FOLKS AND THIS IS
WHAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED OUR
TIME ON. THIS IS THE WORLD'S
LARGEST FOOD COMPANY. UM NOW THE
SORT OF THE SECOND PIECE OF
THOSE THREE ITEMS IS THAT OTHER
COUNTRIES ARE MOVING SWIFTLY TO
ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. YOU KNOW, I
MENTIONED THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI
ARABIA. THESE ARE EDICTS THAT
CAME DOWN FROM KING ABDULLAH,
NOW DECEASED, WHO BEGAN PUTTING
THESE MEASURES IN PLACE TO
SUBSIDIZE HIS COMPANY'S GOING
OVERSEAS AND BUYING UP FOOD AND
WATER ASSETS. I MENTIONED CHINA
, IT IS NOW BECOME PART OF THEIR
FIVE YEAR PLANS. UH AND NOW I
THINK FOR THE LAST 35 YEAR PLANS
, IT IS A TOP LINE NATIONAL
SECURITY ISSUE. UM YOU KNOW,
PRESIDENT XI JINPING LIVED
THROUGH THE GREAT FAMINE. HE
REMEMBERS A TIME OF DEEP
DEPRIVATION. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
WHEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FOOD AND
IT AND IT EXTENDS TO COUNTRIES
LIKE KOREA, THE EMIRATES AND
OTHER WEALTHY NATIONS ALL
BEGINNING TO STRATEGICALLY PUSH
THEIR COMPANIES TO INVEST IN
FOOD AND WATER ASSETS AROUND THE
WORLD. SO AS PEOPLE HERE KNOW
PROBABLY BETTER THAN ME. THE U.
S. FOOD AND WATER SYSTEMS ARE
STILL LARGELY GOVERNED BY LAWS
CREATED TO IMAGINE MANAGE
REGIONAL, STATE AND NATIONAL
DEMAND. BUT THE REALITY NOW IS,
OF COURSE, THERE'S INTERNATIONAL
SUBSIDIES FROM FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE COMING IN
TO ACQUIRE THESE ASSETS. AND HIS
MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD ENGEL SAID
WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS. THE U. S
HAS EFFECTIVELY SUBSIDIZING
WATER FOR CHINA AND OTHER
COUNTRIES. SO I THINK THAT
BRINGS US TO LAWMAKERS AND HOW
THESE ISSUES MIGHT BE ADDRESSED
IN THE NEW CHALLENGES THAT HAVE
EMERGED IN THE 21ST CENTURY, AND
I'LL JUST SHARE TWO BITS OF
REPORTING THAT I'VE COME ACROSS
, UH, IN SOME CABLES, SOME
CLASSIFIED CABLES COMING OUT OF
SANAA, YEMEN IN THE LEAD UP TO
THE CIVIL WAR. THERE YOU HAD THE
HEAD OF THE WATER MINISTRY. AH
TELLING HIM THAT THEN AMBASSADOR
SESH THAT, UH, MISMANAGEMENT OF
WATER BY THE GOVERNMENT AND A
LACK OF LAW AND REGULATION HAD
RESULTED IN A BREAKDOWN OF
SOCIAL COHESION. SO YOU BEGAN TO
SEE WATER RIOTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY. YOU BEGIN TO SEE
CONFLICTS, VILLAGES VERSUS
VILLAGES OVER WATER ISSUES. AND
IN THE END OF THE HOUTHI FROM
THE NORTH, WHO'S WATER HAS BEEN
DRAINED BY LARGE AGRICULTURAL
COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IN THE
ENDED UP COMING DOWN IN SOCKING
SOON AH, UM OF COURSE, THERE ARE
MANY COMPLICATED UNDERLYING
FACTORS IN THESE ISSUES AND THE
SORT OF THE ANTITHESIS OF THE
LACK OF REGULATION WOULD BE THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT, UH, IN THE
RUN UP TO THE 1959 GREAT FAMINE
, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT PUT IN
PLACE. UH, CERTAIN POLICIES THAT
EXPERTS THAT HAVE COVERED THIS
BASICALLY SAID BROKE DOWN BROKE
DOWN THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IN
CHINA, RESULTING IN 37 MILLION
PEOPLE STARVING TO DEATH, SO THE
STAKES ARE QUITE HIGH AND DOING
NOTHING OR DOING THE WRONG
THING. I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY
QUESTIONS I MIGHT BE ABLE TO
ANSWER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. AND UP. NEXT, WE'LL BE
HEARING FROM CONGRESSMAN JOHN
GARAMENDI REPRESENTS
CALIFORNIA'S EIGHT DISTRICT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR
HOLDING THE HURRY AND FOR THE
MEMBERS HERE HEAVY DUTY VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT AS YOU
JUST HEARD. AS A PROUD
CALIFORNIA RANCHER, MY FAMILY
SPENDING THE BUSINESS SINCE 18
63. SAFEGUARDING OUR STATE'S
AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE AND
ENSURING THAT OUR RURAL
COMMUNITIES REMAIN VIBRANT IS OF
UTMOST IMPORTANCE. MY WIFE,
PATTY AND I WERE PEACE CORPS
VOLUNTEERS IN ETHIOPIA IN THE
SIXTIES, WHEN WE LEARNED THE SAD
FACT THAT THE LAND COULD NOT
PRODUCE ENOUGH AND FAMINE WAS
ROUTINE AS A STATE SENATOR. IN
THE LATE 19 SEVENTIES, WE
WATCHED WITH DISMAY THE RAPID
CONVERSION OF PRIME AGRICULTURAL
LAND TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT. SO I
AUTHORED LAWS REQUIRING THE
STATE AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO
IDENTIFY THE BEST AGRICULTURAL
LAND AND DIRECT DEVELOPMENT AWAY
FROM IT. OUR FARMERS CONTINUE TO
FACE A MYRIAD OF THREATS FROM
CLIMATE CHANGE THE LABOR
SHORTAGES TO RISING COST AND NOW
THE NEW THREAT THAT YOU JUST
HEARD ABOUT FOREIGN INVESTORS OR
OTHERS ACQUIRING THE LAND,
FORCING THE FARMERS TO SELL. I
WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE OF
THE THREATS FACING OUR RURAL
COMMUNITIES, FARM FAMILIES AND
INDEED THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE
FOOD. LANDOWNERS AROUND TRAVIS
AIR FORCE BASE IN MY
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, MANY OF
THEM MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY,
FARMERS AND RANCHERS ARE FACING
THEIR HARROWING CHOICE OF CELL.
OR RISK GETTING SUED BY WEALTHY
OUT OF TOWN SPECULATORS WHO WANT
THE LAND. SINCE 2018 FLANNERY
ASSOCIATES USED TO DELAWARE LLC
TO CONCEAL THE SOURCE OF OVER
$800 MILLION THAT WAS USED TO
PURCHASE 400 PARCELS AND 55,000
ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN
UNINCORPORATED SOLANO COUNTY.
PLANNER ASSOCIATES IS NOW
SURROUNDED THREE SIDES 75% OF
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE IN
FAIRFIELD THAT IS THE BUSIEST
TRANSIT BASE. IN THE UNITED
STATES. MORE PERSONNEL AND
MATERIAL FLY IN AND OUT OF THAT
BASE EVERY DAY THAN ANY OTHER
PLACE. AND AT THIS MOMENT, FIVE
ACE AND C 17 ARE LOADING
MUNITIONS HEADED FOR UKRAINE. IT
IS A STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT
GATEWAY TO THE PACIFIC. JUST
LAST WEEK, AUGUST 22ND FLANNERY
ASSOCIATES FINALLY REVEALED
AFTER FIVE YEARS THEIR PLAN TO
USE AN INITIATIVE TO OVERRIDE
LOCAL ZONING THAT PROTECTS
TRAVIS AIR FORCE SPACE AND THE
FARMERS IN ORDER TO BUILD AND
MEGA CITY EAST OF FAIRFIELD.
WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT. WE
LEARNED THAT THE 800 MILLION
CAME FROM BUNCH OF SILICON
VALLEY BILLIONAIRES. FLATTERING
ASSOCIATES IS USING SECRECY,
BULLYING AND MOBSTER TACTICS TO
FORCE GENERATIONAL FARM FAMILIES
TO SELL. THEIR FORCE FARMERS OFF
THE LAND HIRING BIG CITY LAWYERS
TO FILE FEDERAL LAWSUITS
CLAIMING RESTRAINT OF TRADE
AGAINST SEVEN FARM FAMILIES WHO
REFUSED TO SELL THEIR LAND AND
THEIR HERITAGE. ONE FAMILY NOT
ABLE TO PAY THE LEGAL COSTS OF
DEFENDING THEMSELVES. HAS SOLD
OUT. THAT LAWSUIT IS A HEAVY
HANDED, DESPICABLE INTIMIDATION
TACTIC. AND THOSE SILICON VALLEY
BIGWIGS. BILLIONAIRES SHOULD BE
SHAMED AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD
TO ACCOUNT AND THEIR NAMES ARE
KNOWN. NOW IF THESE INVESTORS
PLAN TO CONVINCE SOLANO COUNTY
AND THE RESIDENTS AND THEIR
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, NONE OF
WHOM HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION
WITH LEARNING ASSOCIATES THAT
BUILDING A NEW CITY ON
PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL LAND IS
A WISE SCHEME. THEY'RE OFF TO A
TERRIBLE START AT EARNING THE
COMMUNITY'S TRUST. NOW KEEPING
AGRICULTURAL LAND ADJOINING
MILITARY INSTALLATION. OTHER
CRITICAL ASSETS IN CALIFORNIA
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. KEEPING
IT IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IS
THE BEST POSSIBLE USE. TO
PREVENT ENCROACHMENT AND TO
PROTECT THOSE BASES. TRAVIS AIR
FORCE BASE CANNOT OPERATE
SURROUNDED BY SKYSCRAPERS. WIND
TURBINES, TRACT HOMES OR OTHER
KINDS OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHT UP TO
THE FENCE LINE. NO MILITARY BASE
CAN. THAT'S JUST ONE REASON WHY
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IT'S
COUNTIES AND CITIES MUST ENSURE
RESPONSIBLE, COMBAT COMPATIBLE
AGRICULTURAL USE AROUND CRITICAL
ECONOMIC AND NATIONAL SECURITY
ASSETS. ONE WAY TO DO THIS IS
FOOD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
ENSURING THAT THE AGRICULTURAL
LANDOWNERS ARE COMPENSATED FOR
THE VALUE OF THEIR OPEN SPACE
THAT THE VALUE OF THE OPEN SPACE
PROVIDES TWO OTHERS, INCLUDING
THE U. S MILITARY. IN 1999.
PATTY AND I DONATED TO THE
CALIFORNIA RANGELAND TRUST A
PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASTMAN
ON OUR RANCH IN CALIBERS COUNTY
. I HOPE AGRICULTURAL LANDOWNERS
ACROSS THE STATE WILL TAKE A
HARD LOOK AT PLACING EASEMENTS
ON THEIR PROPERTY. NOW THE U. S
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS LONG
UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF
CONSERVING OPEN SPACE BUFFERING
MILITARY INSTALLATIONS ON THE
HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE.
I HAVE WORKED TO INCREASE
FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE READINESS ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION INTEGRATION PROGRAM.
$40 MILLION IS AVAILABLE THIS
YEAR. TO PURCHASE E SMITH FROM
WILLING LANDOWNERS. 173 MILLION
HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT IN
CALIFORNIA TO CONSERVE LAND
JOYCE ADJACENT TO MILITARY BASIS
AT BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, JUST TO
THE NORTH OF THERE, WHICH I
REPRESENTED UNTIL JANUARY OF
THIS YEAR. LOCAL LAND NOTICE
EVERY SAFETY 11.5 MILLION TO
PLACE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON
7650 ACRES ADJOINING THE BASE.
THEREBY PROTECTING THE BASE AS
WELL AS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.
THIS YEAR. MIKE THOMPSON AND I
ARE WORKING WITH DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
TO ENSURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE AND OTHER FEDERAL
AGENCIES CAN DO A BETTER JOB
REVIEWING REAL ESTATE
TRANSACTIONS TO PREVENT
ENCROACHMENT OR ESPIONAGE BY
FOREIGN ADVERSARIES AT SENSITIVE
MILITARY AND NATIONAL SECURITY
INSTALLATIONS. TO ACCOMPLISH
THIS WE INTRODUCED ALONG WITH
CONGRESSMAN MIKE GALLAGHER,
CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON CHINESE COMMUNIST
PARTY THAT PROTECT AMERICA,
FARMLAND AND NATIONAL SECURITY
SITES FROM FOREIGN ADVERSARIES
ACT. I HAVE INCLUDED SECTION IN
THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
ACT TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE TO DEVELOP PROCESSES TO
ADDRESS ANY TYPE OF LAND SALE OR
USE THAT MIGHT ENCROACH. WE
CONTINUE TO WORK ACTIVELY ON ALL
OF THESE. NOW I CALL UPON THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA YOU AND THIS
COMMITTEE AND OTHERS. TO DIRECT
ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING AND TAX
INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE MORE
AGRICULTURAL LANDOWNERS TO
PERMANENTLY CONSERVE THEIR
PROPERTY AS OPEN SPACE. THIS
WILL HELP KEEP AGRICULTURAL LAND
IN PRODUCTION. WHAT PRESERVING
THE RURAL AG ECONOMY UPON WHICH
THEY DEPEND PERMANENTLY
CONSERVING PRIVATE LAND WILL
ALSO HELP MEET PRESIDENT BIDEN'S
AMERICA. THE BEAUTIFUL HIS
NATIONAL CONSERVATION GOAL TO
PROTECT AND CONSERVATIVE, LEAST
30% OF THE LANDS AND WATERS IN
THE UNITED STATES BY 2030.
GOVERNOR NEWSOM HAS A SIMILAR
CONSERVATION GOAL FOR THIS
STATE. FOR THOSE AGRICULTURAL
LANDOWNERS WILLING TO DONATE A
CONSERVATION. EASTMAN FEDERAL
LAW ALLOWS THEM TO DEDUCT THE
FAIR MARKET VALUE. A SIMILAR
DEDUCTION IS AVAILABLE AT STATE
LEVEL AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE
STATE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR
TUBE RATIONALIZE THAT BOTH THE
STATE AND THE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
SO THAT THEY COULD BE MORE
ATTRACTIVE AND WORK IN UNISON.
THAT WOULD PROVIDE CERTAIN
LANDOWNERS IN THE TAX AND THE
STATE PLANNING. UH AND HIGH
VALUE AGRICULTURAL LAND TO
REALIZE THE TAX BENEFITS
COMMENSURATE WITH THE VALUE OF
THEIR EASTMAN DONATION. SENATOR
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HOLDING
THE HEARING. THANK YOU. FOR THE
ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. THERE
ARE MANY OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AND I'M
SURE YOU'LL GET INTO THEM AND
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
ON PROTECTING CALIFORNIA'S
AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE. THANK
YOU, CONGRESSMAN UP NEXT WE'LL
HEAR FROM JAMIE FAIRNESS FROM
THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH
FAMILY FARMERS. GOOD AFTERNOON,
IT'S HARD TO FOLLOW A CONGRESS
MEMBER. BUT I WILL DO MY BEST,
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. YEAH MY NAME IS JAMIE
VENUES. I'M THE POLICY DIRECTOR
AT THE COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH
FAMILY FARMERS OR CAF CAP
CURRENTLY REPRESENTS OVER 8000
SMALL AND MID SCALE FAMILY
FARMERS IN CALIFORNIA AND HAS
WORKED FOR OVER 45 YEARS TO
PRESERVE FAMILY SCALE
AGRICULTURE AND PROMOTE
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. IN
CALIFORNIA 80% OF FARMS OVER
OPERATE ON LESS THAN 180 ACRES.
NEARLY 75% OF FARMERS OPERATE ON
LESS THAN $100,000 AN ANNUAL
GROSS SALES AND WE ARE LOSING AT
LEAST FOUR SMALL SCALE FARMS A
DAY. THE CHALLENGES FACING SMALL
FARMERS ARE OVERWHELMING AND
MAKE THE SIMPLE ACT OF GROWING
FOOD TO FEED LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TASK. THE
REALITIES OF GOOD CLIMATE CRISIS
EXISTING SUPPLY TEENS AND THE
GREATER ECONOMIC DISPROPORTION
AFFECT THE FARMERS THAT MAKE THE
USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE A LIVING PRODUCING FOOD,
WHICH INCLUDES THE ONE IN FIVE
CALIFORNIA FARMERS WHO IDENTIFY
AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE
OF COLOR OR BY PACK. TODAY AS WE
EXPERIENCE ONE CLIMATE
CATASTROPHE AFTER THE NEXT WITH
THE ONLY EXISTING PROGRAM THAT
IS SUPPORTED THESE FARMERS WITH
EMERGENCY RELIEF BEING CDF FACE
, CALIFORNIA UNDERSERVED AND
SMALL PRODUCER PROGRAMMER CUSP,
PROVIDING RELIEF THROUGH COVID
DROUGHT AND SOON TO BE FLOODS.
TODAY AS WE TALK ABOUT FOOD
SECURITY, THIS IS EMBEDDED IN
LAND SECURITY, LAND, ACCESS OR
SECURITY. NOT ONLY MEANS THE
GROUND WE STAND ON BUT ALSO
ACCESS TO WATER CAPITAL AND
INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOUSING.
TODAY AT LEAST 50% OF
CALIFORNIA'S CROPLAND IS OWNED
BY 5% OF THE TOTAL LANDOWNERS,
MEANING 5% OF ALL LANDOWNERS OWN
OVER HALF OF CALIFORNIA'S
CROPLAND. MEANWHILE 85% OF THE
SMALLEST PURPORT PROPERTIES
ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 25% OF THE
CROPLAND AND FINALLY, ALMOST 40%
OF FARMLAND IS RENTED OR LEASED
BY NON FARMERS. WE'VE LEARNED
THAT CALF THROUGH SURVEY
STATISTICS AND FORMER ENGAGEMENT
THAT NOT ONLY IS THE PRIMARY
BARRIER FOR SMALL FAMILY FARMERS
ACCESS TO LAND BUT MOST
HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS
. UM PRIMARILY SMALL SCALE
FARMERS, UM, LEASED THEIR LAND.
FARMERS WHO LEASE THEIR LAND,
UNFORTUNATELY, ARE UNABLE TO
INVEST IN THAT LAND THAT THEY
MANAGE TO REGULARLY AT RISK OF
BEING KICKED OUT. UNLESS YOU'VE
GAINED ACCESS TO LAND FROM A
FAMILY OR HAVE SEVERAL MILLION
DOLLARS AVAILABLE ACCESS TO
SECURE LAND IS 100% IMPOSSIBLE.
THE ONLY ENTITIES THAT HAVE THE
ABILITY TO PURCHASE THE LAND IN
CALIFORNIA ARE LARGE
CORPORATIONS, HEDGE FUNDS,
INVESTMENT FIRMS AND AS WE HAVE
SEEN TECH BILLIONAIRES, UM NONE
OF WHOM ARE LOCAL FARMERS. YOUR
REVIEW EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS
CRISIS IS PLAYING OUT. AND THE
KOYAMA VALLEY IN EAST SANTA
BARBARA COUNTY AS WE SPEAK TO
GLOBAL COMPANIES GRIM WAY, WHICH
IS OWNED BY A HEDGE FUND AND
BOLT HOUSE HAVE BOTH DECIDED TO
SUE EVERY SINGLE WATER RIGHTS
HOLDER IN THE VALLEY. THIS COMES
AS WATER RESOURCES BECOME MORE
CONSTRAINT AS A RESULT OF
DECADES OF OVER PUMPING AND
CLIMATE CHANGE. THESE COMPANIES
ARE SUING HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, FARMERS WHO PRODUCE OUR
FOOD AND THE LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICT THAT EDUCATE AND FEED
OUR COMMUNITIES. CHILDREN ALL OF
WHOM ARE AT RISK LOSING THEIR
WATER RIGHTS OR GOING COMPLETELY
BANKRUPT IN THE PROCESS. THE
SECOND EXAMPLE, AS THE
CONGRESSMAN HAS POINTED OUT IS,
OF COURSE, THE FLANNERY GROUP
WHICH, AS WE KNOW, ARE NAMED
MICHAEL MORITZ, REID HOFFMAN,
MARK ANDERSON AND CHRIS DIXON
FOR PROMINENT SILICON VALLEY
INVESTORS, WHO UP UNTIL LAST
WEEK HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY
MYSTERY. UM. AND HAVE A
REPUTATION OF TEARING UP
COMMUNITIES APART, PITTING
FAMILY MEMBERS AGAINST EACH
OTHER AND EMPLOYING VICIOUS LAND
GRAB TACTICS THAT HAVE LEFT OUT
A FOG OF FEAR AND DISTRUST IN
THE ENTIRETY OF SOLANO COUNTIES
. AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY TAKING
THOUSANDS OF VIABLE AGRICULTURAL
LAND FOOD, PRODUCING LAND OUT OF
PRODUCTION AND GUTTING A
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE
SOLANO COUNTY ECONOMY, WHICH IS
AGRICULTURE. AND NOW MANY OF THE
SOLANO AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY HAS
$510 MILLION LAWSUIT ON THEIR
HANDS, WHICH THE FLANNERY GROUP
HAS ACCUSED THEM OF COLLUSION.
THE THIRD PIECE THAT I'LL POINT
OUT IS THE IMPACT OF WAREHOUSE
DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE HAD A
VALUABLE IMPACT ON THE VALUABLE
PRIME LAND AND AGRICULTURAL LAND
IN CALIFORNIA. NOT MORE THAN 10
YEARS AGO, SAN BERNARDINO AND
RIVERSIDE COUNTIES WERE FILLED
WITH CITRUS ORCHARD AND SMALL
FARMS. TODAY THE INLAND EMPIRE
HAS SEEN A RAPID SURGE OF
WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENT IMPACTING
FOOD, SECURITY, AIR QUALITY
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY HEALTH.
MANY OF THE STORIES HAVE
SURFACED ABOUT LANDOWNERS OR
FARMERS BEING HARASSED BY
DEVELOPERS TO SELL THEIR LAND
AND OTHER LANDOWNERS RECEIVING
OFFERS SO HIGH THEY CANNOT
REFUSE. WHICH RESULTS IN FARMERS
WHO WHO LEASED LAND BEING KICKED
OFF WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENT HAS
SINGLE HANDEDLY DESTROYED THIS
FARMING COMMUNITY OVERNIGHT. THE
PLAYBOOK FOR ALL OF THESE
ENTITIES IS THE SAME IF YOU
REFUSE, AND THEY DO NOT GET WHAT
THEY WANT, THEY WILL LIKELY SUE
THE SMALL FARMING COMMUNITIES
OUT OF EXISTENCE. IT IS A
CHILLING REALITY, BUT WE'RE
SEEING IT PLAY OUT IN MANY
INSTANCES IN CALIFORNIA. WE NEED
IMMEDIATE AND SERIOUS LAWS AND
REGULATIONS TO STOP THESE LAND
GRABS FROM CONTINUING IF WE HAVE
ANY HOPE OF TAKING BACK CONTROL
FOR OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN IT
COMES TO THE PROTECTION OF LAND
, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE
FARMERS WHO HAVE NEVER HAD
ACCESS TO LAND AND THE FARMERS
WHOEVER RISK OF LOSING THEIR
LAND WHILE BODIES LIKE THE
CALIFORNIA LAND EQUITY TASK
FORCE AT THE STRATEGIC GROWTH
COUNCIL IS A GREAT FIRST STEP
FORWARD. LAZ MUST BE WRITTEN AND
PASSED TODAY TO SLOW DOWN THIS
TYPE OF LAND GRAB AND RESOURCE
GRAB MEANING WATER. UM THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR HOLDING THIS TIME TO
SPEAK ABOUT THIS REALLY
IMPORTANT ISSUE. THANK YOU,
JAMIE. AND UP NEXT WE HAVE
CHRISTOPHER COBB ALDEN FOR A
MAYOR OF WEST SACRAMENTO, PAST
MEMBER OF THE DELTA PROTECTION
COMMISSION IN CENTRAL VALLEY
REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL
BOARD. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR
AND I JUST WANT TO PICK UP WHERE
BOTH JAMIE AND CONGRESSMAN
GARAMENDI HAVE TAKEN US INTO.
BUT TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS ON THE
GROUND BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE
THINKING, BUT WE HAVE WE HAVE
ALL WE HAVE THE SEQUEL WE HAVE
GLAFCOS. WE HAVE WILLIAMSON. WE
HAVE A LOT OF POLICIES. SO HOW
COULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD
HAPPEN? AND WHAT IS THE STATE OF
STATE OF THE STATE POLICY
TOOLBOX TO PREVENT TO PREVENT IT
IN FROM AND TO INTERVENE, SO LET
ME PULL UP. LET'S GET INTO SOME
OF WHAT CONGRESSMAN GARAMENDI
SHOWED ON THE GROUND BY GOING
INTO THE FLANNERY AREA IN
PARTICULAR. UM THIS IS THIS IS
THE BIGGEST VIEW. YOU CAN SEE
SOME OF THE CITIES THAT ARE
AROUND IT, BUT IT IS A BORDERS,
THE BAY AREA AND THE DELTA, UH,
AND IN THEIR LAND IS INVOLVED IN
BOTH THE ZOOMING IN A BIT. CAN
SEE THE BULK OF THE FLANNERY
HOLDINGS AND LET ME JUST NOTE.
AND YOU NEED PRETTY MUCH STOPPED
BY THE SOLANO COUNTY ASSESSOR
OFFICE EVERY SINGLE DAY TO GET
THE UPDATED MAP SO I CAN ALREADY
TELL YOU ALMOST AS MUCH OF THIS
THAT THAT PURPLE IS MORE PURPLE
NOW SINCE THIS MAP WAS PRODUCED,
WHICH IS ONLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS
AGO, SO THE PACE HAS NOT BEEN
SLOWING DOWN. SO THE ON THE
RIGHT IN THIS MAP IS THE DELTA
ON THE LEFT IS FAIRFIELD JUST TO
THE NORTH IS BACK VILLAIN IS
CONGRESSMAN GARAMENDI SAID
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE IS IN THE
UPPER UPPER LEFT, AND THESE
ACQUISITIONS BEEN HAVE BEEN
PROCEEDING FOR THE LAST FIVE
YEARS. THEY EARNED SOLANO
COUNTY. THIS IS A MAP PRODUCED
BY UC DAVIS A FEW YEARS BACK,
CATALOGING SOLANO COUNTIES LAND
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THE, UH AH
, AN AREA THAT IS IN A LIGHT
YELLOW AND EVEN U. C. DAVIS AT
THE TIME IDENTIFIED THIS AS
DEVELOP A BILL. I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE ITS GEOLOGICALLY
DEVELOPABLE. THERE WAS NOT A
POLICY PROPOSAL FROM UC DAVIS,
BUT THEY HIGHLIGHTED THAT THIS
WAS AN AREA OF THE COUNTY THAT
IS CONSUMED NOT BY NIGHT, NOT BY
PRIME SOIL FARMLANDS BUT BY
ACTIVE AGRICULTURE, AND THE
COUNTY HAS TAKEN A SERIES OF
STEPS TO TRY TO PROTECT IT FOR
THOSE PURPOSES OF EVER SINCE.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. IF
YOU CAN SEE IN. THIS IS IN BIRDS
LANDING. UH THIS IS A TYPICAL
USE OF LAND IN IN MUCH OF THE
FLANNERY HOLDINGS. IT IS NOT A
WASTELAND AS SOME OF THE SOME
FOXES HAVE CLAIMED TO SAY, BUT
IT IS AN ACTIVE FAULT FARMING
AND PEOPLE CENTERED COMMUNITY
WHO ARE WHO ARE MAKING A LIVING
THERE, NOT MAKING MILLIONS. BUT
THEY ARE SURVIVING AND
CONTRIBUTING TO THE FOOD ECONOMY
IN THE REGION INTO THE LITTLE
LEAGUE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. THE
COUNTY IS ONE OF THE COUNTIES OF
CALIFORNIA LIKE NAPA SENATOR DOG
MENTIONED THAT LONG AGO THAT
VOTERS THEY'RE ADOPTED AN
AGGRESSIVE, ORDERLY GROWTH
POLICY THAT SAID ALL URBAN
DEVELOPMENT SHOULD HAPPEN IN
CITIES. ESSENTIALLY THAT'S THE
TEXTBOOK DEFINITION OF WHAT
URBAN MEANS SHOULD HAPPEN IN
CITIES AND THERE SHALL BE NO
URBAN DEVELOPMENT THAT'S
OCCURRING IN THE COUNTY. THE
COUNTY IS ALSO ADOPTED A TRAVIS
JUST THIS YEAR, A TRAVIS OVERLAY
ON ITS OWN IN CODE. IT HAS A
RESEARCH CONSERVATION DISTRICT
OVERLAY IN MUCH OF THIS AREA AS
WELL. THE COUNTY HAS TAKEN
AGGRESSIVE ACTION TO TRY TO
PREVENT EXACTLY THE SORT OF
URBANIZING URBANIZATION FROM
OCCURRING WITHIN THIS
AGRICULTURAL AGRICULTURAL ZONE.
AH BECAUSE THE THIS IS A CENTRAL
PART OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMY AND
BECAUSE OTHER TOWNS AND
COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPED
DELTA DEPEND ON AGRICULTURE AND
A VARIETY OF WAYS, BUT ALSO
DON'T JUST VERY QUICKLY. THIS IS
A MAP OF WIND POWER IN THE STATE
OF ALL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THIS AREA IS THE BIGGEST, MOST
OPPORTUNE WIND ZONE IN THE
ENTIRE NORTHERN PART OF THE
STATE. UH AND I CAN'T EVEN ZOOM
IN THAT CLOSE BECAUSE IT'S SO
PURPLE ON THE WIND MAP, BUT
THERE'S ANOTHER MAJOR RESOURCES
IN THE AREA. THAT'S WHY YOU WILL
SEE IN VIRTUALLY EVERY FROM
EVERY VISTA OF EVERY PIECE OF
PROPERTY OR EVERY RANCH OR FARM
IN THE IN THE IN THE REGION. YOU
WILL SEE WINTER WAS BEHIND IT.
SO AGAIN. THIS IS THE PLENARY
PROPERTY. NOW HERE'S THE
WILLIAMSON ACT, HOLDING IT IN
THE AREA. THE DARK RING BEING
PRIME FARMLAND AND THESE BROWN
BEING AND PRINCIPALLY THE
RANGELANDS. AND THIS IS AN
OVERLAY OF THE PURPLE FLANNERY
MAP. ON TOP OF THAT, YOU CAN SEE
IT'S ALMOST ENTIRELY WILLIAMS
BACKED HOLDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN
ACQUIRED. AND SO THE WILLIAMSON
ACT HASN'T REALLY FUNCTION IN
THIS CASE TO IN ANY WAY, DETER
THESE ACQUISITIONS IN FROM FROM
HAPPENING IN SOME SENSE IS ALSO
ALWAYS BEEN A FLAG LIKE BY HERE
BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ACT IS
PREVENTING AN IN IN HIS HAS KEPT
PRICES LOW FOR POTENTIAL BIASES
HOOP IN WILLIAMSON ACT HAS NOT
REALLY BEEN EFFECTIVE IN AT
LEAST IN PREVENTING OR
DIMINISHING THE PACE. OF
ACQUISITIONS IN THIS AREA. THIS
IS A MAP FROM LAFCO OF THE
SPHERES OF INFLUENCE IN SOLANO
COUNTY. AND NOW AT THE FLATTERY
MAP, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT MANY
OF THE MILITARY HOLDINGS
PARTICULARLY LEARN TRAVIS AIR
FORCE BASE, BUT ALSO AT THE
DELTA ARE WITHIN THE SPHERES OF
INFLUENCE OF THE EXISTING CITIES
. UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW AFTER
LAW, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO
CREATE A NEW CITY ON SOMEBODY
ELSE'S SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. AND
CERTAINLY NOT AROUND TRAVIS
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, BUT THIS
IS ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES. UM,
THAT'S BEEN CONTROLS. IT'S
SUPPOSED TO BE IN PLACE. NOW.
HERE'S A MAP OF THE DELTA, THE
PROBABLY THE STATE'S MOST
IMPORTANT, BOTH WATER
ENGINEERING FACILITY, BUT ALSO
HABITAT WATER SUPPLY AND THE
MANY DELTA COMMUNITIES THAT
INCLUDING SENATOR CONGRESSMAN
GARAMENDI ZONE THAT DEPEND ON
THAT ZOOMING IN HERE, YOU CAN
SEE FLANNERY'S ACQUIRED A LARGE
PROPORTION OF THE OVERALL DELTA
ZONE AND THEN COMING IN MORE
CLOSELY, YOU CAN SEE THE DELTA
PRIMARY ZONE, WHICH IS THE MOST
SENSITIVE AT RISK AREA OF THE
DELTA. UM WHERE THE HOLDINGS
EXIST IN THE DELTA SECONDARY
ZONE, WHICH ARE THOSE AREAS THAT
ARE IF THEY WERE TO FALL. THE
DELTA PRIMARY ZONE IS NEXT. SO
THERE IS A THERE IS A STATE PLAN
AND STATE ZONING RULES. I SERVED
ON THE DELTA COMMISSION FOR 20
YEARS THAT PREVENTS URBANIZATION
INSIDE THE PRIMARY ZONE, BUT NOT
IN THE SECONDARY ZONE, AND NOT
IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO IT. YOU
CAN SEE IT'S KIND OF AN ARTIFACT
OF HISTORY THAT RIO VISTA WHICH
NOW IS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY
FLANNERY HOLDINGS IS NOT IN THE
LEGAL DELTA, BUT THAT'S NOT A
HYDROLOGICAL OR AN ECOLOGICAL
DESIGNATION. IT'S JUST AN
ACCIDENT OF HISTORY. ALRIGHT
NEXT, LET'S TURN TO THE WATER
ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED.
THIS IS THE STATE WATER PROJECT.
IF YOU LOOK HERE IS THE NORTH
BAY AQUEDUCT. IT'S A SMALL PART
OF THE STATE WATER PROJECT, BUT
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE
IN SOLANO, CANADA, NAPA COUNTY
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LARGE
PROPORTION OF THE WATER SUPPLY
COMES FOR DRINKING WATER AND
OTHER MUNICIPAL USES. THIS IS
THE NORTH BY AQUEDUCT, AND IT IS
CONNECTED TO THE DELTA, WHICH IS
THEN CONNECTED TO THE SACRAMENTO
RIVER, WHICH IS THEN CONNECTED
TO SHASTA DAM. BY VIRTUE OF THIS
LITTLE SLEW THIS LITTLE, UH, IF
YOU'RE NOT FROM FROM THIS PART
OF THE STATE, THE LITTLE CANAL
BASICALLY, BUT NATURAL CANAL
SORT OF THAT CONNECTS THE MAJOR
WATERWAYS TO THE SMALLER ONES
AND THE PUMPING STATION. THE
INTAKE FOR THE NORTH BY AQUEDUCT
, THE MAIN DRINKING WATER SUPPLY
FOR NAPA AND SOLANO COUNTIES
LEADS RIGHT TO THAT SLOPE. NOW
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT SAME
FLUIDS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
THERE'S A BIG BODY OF WATER, AND
THEN THEN A SLEW RUNNING OFF TO
THE LEFT OF IT, AND YOU CAN SEE
THAT FLANNERY IS ACQUIRED THE
ENTIRE SOUTH BANK OF THAT SLEW.
UM AS AS WELL AS LAND
SURROUNDING THIS IS A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE OF ITS. THIS IS
ESSENTIAL FOR THE FOR BOTH
COUNTIES AND AGRICULTURE AND FOR
TRAVIS, WHICH RELIES ON A
TRAFFIC ON THE TRAFFIC SUPPLY
STATION AS WELL. UM SO THIS IS
AN ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL PIECE OF
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
FLANNERY IS ALSO ACQUIRED. NEXT
TO MAYBE LAST IN THE DETAILED
PIECE JUST TO NOTE THAT HERE IS
AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT THAT IS
ALSO IN THE VICINITY THAT'S
DESIGNED NOT JUST FOR THE LOCAL
REGION, BUT THE ENTIRE HEALTH OF
THE FLOOD PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR
ALL OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,
WHICH THE YOLO CAUSEWAY IS A
MAJOR PORTION OF AND THIS
PROPERTY, THE LITTLE EGBERT
TRACT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE TOWN
OF RIO VISTA, AND IT'S BEING
CONVERTED ESSENTIALLY INTO TITLE
ACTION LAND. IN ORDER TO PROMOTE
FLOOD PROTECTION IN THE LOCAL
AREA, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE BYPASS SYSTEM FOR ALL OF THE
STATE FUNCTIONS PROPERLY, SO
IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL
STATE PARTY. WE JUST RECENTLY IN
THE PORT OF WEST SACRAMENTO
DEEDED OVER PROSPECT ISLAND
ACROSS THE WATER FOR THE SAME
PURPOSE TO WIDEN THE AMOUNT OF
TIDAL ACTION THAT OCCURS IN THIS
AREA TO PROTECT WATER AND
AGRICULTURE AND FLOOD PROTECTION
FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. AND AS
YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP
FLANNERY'S REQUIRED ON THE LAND
RIGHT UP TO IT, INCLUDING MOST
OF THE RECLAMATION DISTRICT THAT
IS ONE HALF OF THE VOTES ON THE
OLEG BERG PROJECT J. P. A. SO
WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS A
PRETTY PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL EFFECT
SWEEPING EFFECT ACROSS A LOT OF
RESOURCES IN THIS AREA, AND THE
QUESTION THEN COMES IS, ARE THE
STATES TOOLS? ARE THEY UP TO
THIS TASK? AND I WANT TO NOTE A
COUPLE OF THINGS FIRST. IS THAT
THAT AGRICULTURE AS YOU KNOW
BETTER THAN ANYONE THAT IT
DEPENDS ON CRITICAL MASS IN A
REGION SO THAT THE IT ISN'T JUST
ABOUT A PIECE OF PROPERTY
CHANGING HANDS. IT'S ALSO THAT
WITHOUT ENOUGH FOLKS DOING RANGE
LAND FARMING IN THE REGION, THE
PROCESSING FACILITIES THAT ARE
NEARBY WHICH THERE IS NOW ONLY
ONE AND ALL OF THE REST OF THE
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY THAT
SUPPORTS ALL OF THE FARMERS
BECOMES UNAVAILABLE TO THE
SINGLE FARMER IF OTHER
PROPERTIES CONVERT SO YOU
IMAGINE YOURSELF AS THE LAST
HOLDOUT WHERE YOU CAN'T BE THE
LAST HOLDOUT BECAUSE THE REST OF
THE SYSTEM DOESN'T EXIST FOR
YOU. MOST RANCHERS, AS YOU KNOW,
DON'T MAKE A PROFIT ALREADY. UH
YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRUE STATEMENT
IS TRUE IN THIS ZONE AS WELL AS
WELL. THEY WANT TO STAY IN
RANCHING AND THEY WANT TO PASS.
THEY WANTED TO STAY IN THEIR
FAMILY. BUT THEY STRUGGLED
BECAUSE WHEN A SINGLE NON
AGRICULTURAL BASED OWNER
ESTABLISHES A MONOPOLY IN THE
ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE REGION, IT
BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT FOR ANY
SINGLE FARMER TO CONTINUE OR TO
GET FEED TO HAVE LAND FOR
FORGING. THESE ARE FARMERS WHO
IN MANY CASES LEASED LAND FROM
ONE ANOTHER FOR FORAGING IN
PARTICULAR. NOW THEY CAN'T
BATTERIES CANCELED. MANY OF
THESE THESE FORGING LEASES.
WE'VE ALREADY COVERED WATER
WATER RIGHTS IN THE IMPORTANT
AND SENSITIVE ISSUES THAT ARE
THERE. THE LAST REASON OF THIS,
THAT I WOULD MENTION IS ON THE
ON THE ON THE LAND USE PIECES
THEMSELVES BECAUSE I MENTIONED I
MENTIONED THAT WILLIAMSON ACT
AND THE CHALLENGE WITH THE
WILLIAMS ACT HERE WILLIAMSON ACT
AND OTHER EASEMENT BASED
APPROACHES IS THAT WILLIAM
SMACKED. YOU PAY A PENALTY IF
YOU IF YOU TERMINATE YOUR
CONTRACT IMMEDIATELY, THEN YOU
JUST SIMPLY PAY A PENALTY OF 15%
OF THE OF THE CURRENT MARKET
VALUE OF THE LAND. BUT IF THE
BUYERS ALREADY PREPARED TO PAY
235 10 TIMES MARKET VALUE, THEN
CLEARLY THAT 15% PENALTY IS OF
NO CONSEQUENCE. IT'S NOT. IT'S
NOT PERFORMING ANY INCENTIVE.
AWAY FROM TAKING THAT LAND OUT
OF OUT OF OUT OF AGRICULTURE. SO
EVEN THOUGH THE ZONE IS ENTIRELY
SATURATED IN WILLIAMS ACTOR
WILLIAMSON ACT COVERAGE, IT'S
SIMPLY NOT EFFECTIVE IN THAT WAY
. THEN WE HAVE LAUGH GO AND THE
VOTERS. I THINK THE VOTERS
CANNOT CREATE A NEW CITY BY
BALLOT INITIATIVE. I THINK THIS
WAS AN ERROR AND A COUPLE OF THE
MEDIA REPORTS. THAT'S JUST NOT
ALLOWED IN CALIFORNIA. LAFCO
WHICH IS A STATE AGENCY AND
THEREFORE NOT SUBJECT TO COUNTY
INITIATIVES, IS THE ONLY ENTITY
THAT CAN FORWARD THAT
ULTIMATELY, TO A LATER VOTE. BUT
IT CANNOT BE DONE BY INITIATIVE
AND THEY HAVE TO CONSIDER OTHER
POLICIES. AND THIS IS THE ONE
AREA WHERE THERE IS A LOCAL TOOL
IN A STATE TOUR. THEY THEY HAVE
TO CONSIDER SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES. PLANS ADOPTED UNDER
SB 3 75 TO CONSIDER FEDERAL AND
STATE TRANSPORTATION PLANS. UM
THEY DON'T YET HAVE TO CONSIDER
THE 30 BY 30 STRATEGY THAT THE
STATE HAS ADOPTED. I SERVED ON
THE STATEWIDE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
FOR THAT, AND ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS IS THAT LAUGH
GOES. DO CONSIDER 30 BY 30
IMPLICATIONS OF ACTIONS LIKE
THIS BOUNDARY CHANGES
ANNEXATIONS AND INCORPORATIONS.
THEY DO CONSIDER ARENA. THE
REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS
ALLOCATION, BUT THEY TYPICALLY
DON'T YOU EXAMINE WATER
IMPLICATIONS OUTSIDE OF THEIR
ZONE. AND AS WE'VE ALREADY
COVERED IN THIS PRESENTATION,
THERE ARE A LOT OF WATER
IMPLICATIONS FROM NAPA FOR YOLO
FOR THE REST OF THE STATE AS
WELL. UM SO THIS IS ONE OF THE
KEY BACKSTOPS IS LAFCO. BUT
REMEMBER, LAFCO IS FIVE PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT A COMPLETE GOVERNMENTAL
PROCESS. IT'S NOT ELECTED ITS
REFORMS AN ESSENTIAL FUNCTION,
BUT YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT THE
ROLE OF THAT LAUGH GOES PLAY AND
HOW OTHER PARTS OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS CAN ENGAGE IN
THAT AS WELL. THEN THERE'S SEQUA
, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, IN MANY
CASES IS OVERPOWERED. FOR MANY,
YOU KNOW, HOUSING PROJECTS. IN
THIS CASE, IT'S PROBABLY
COMPLETELY UNDERPOWERED TO BE
ABLE TO. THERE'S NO ONE THERE'S
NO LEAD AGENCY THAT'S CAPABLE OF
EXAMINING. ALL OF THESE ISSUES
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A
CONVERSION OF THIS SCALE. IT'S
DESIGNED FOR WHAT ABOUT WHAT
ABOUT THOSE FIVE ACRES OVER
THERE? WHAT ABOUT YOU KNOW WHAT
ABOUT THAT EMPTY LOT OVER THERE
ISN'T DESIGNED FOR WHAT ABOUT
HALF YOUR COUNTY? AND WHAT IF WE
JUST CONVERTED THAT OVERNIGHT
AND SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED
GOING FORWARD IS HOW HOW CAN
SEEK WOULD BE EFFECTIVE, GIVEN
THE SHEER SCALE AND COMPLEXITY
THAT IT WAS NEVER REALLY
DESIGNED TO HANDLE UNLESS IT WAS
A PROJECT BEING ADVANCED BY THE
GOVERNMENT. THEY'RE THE KEY
FACTOR TO REMEMBER IS THAT THERE
ARE UH MANY OF THE SERVICES AND
POLICIES THAT ARE PLAYING IN
THIS COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA.
THEY ARE BASED ON ASSESSMENT ON
LOCAL SPECIAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE
ASSESSMENT BASED AND HERE'S THE
KEY. THIS IS A KEY POINT BECAUSE
MANY OF THE VOTERS WHO WILL BE
VOTING IN THE LOCAL RECLAMATION
DISTRICT OR THE MONTEZUMA FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICT OR ANYTHING
ELSE THEY'VE ALREADY THEY'RE
GONE ALREADY. THEY'VE BEEN
EITHER EVICTED FROM THEY NO
LONGER HAVE THE LAND THEY'VE
SOLD, SO THEY'RE NOT THERE TO
PARTICIPATE IN THAT IN THAT IN
THAT DISCUSSION, BUT EVEN IF
THEY ARE, THEY CAN BE EASILY
OUT. VOTED BECAUSE ALMOST ALL OF
THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS ARE YOUR
VOTES ARE BASED ON HOW MUCH
ASSESSED VALUATION OF PROPERTY
YOU OWN. SO YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF
, THEN YOUR FORMER IN THIS AREA
RANCHER IN THIS AREA NOW AND YOU
MAY BE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY
AN INCOMPATIBLE USES THAT WILL
MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO
SURVIVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
YOU DEPEND ON TO FARM,
ADDITIONAL LAND THE PROCESSING
EVERYTHING ELSE MAY DISAPPEAR,
YOUR LEAST FOR YOUR SHEEP TO GO
A LITTLE BIT FARTHER OFF. YOUR
PROPERTY HAS BEEN TERMINATED.
YOU CAN NO LONGER YOU CAN NO
LONGER DO THAT. AND NOW YOU'RE
GETTING BILLS BECAUSE THE
MONTEZUMA FIRE PROTECTION
DISTRICT HAS BEEN IS NOW
CONTROLLED BY ANOTHER ENTITY.
SEE AND THEY'VE DECIDED THAT
THEY WANT TO BUILD URBAN FIRE
STATIONS EVERYWHERE AND YOUR
ASSESSMENTS ARE GOING TO GO UP
AS A RESULT, SO YOUR TAXES COULD
BE INCREASED BY DRAMATIC AMOUNTS
FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOTHING
TO DO WITH SERVING YOU, BUT ARE
IN THE INTEREST OF THIS LARGER
CONGLOMERATE AREA OF PROPERTY
ACQUISITION THAT HAS OCCURRED
AND THAT'S FOR FLOOD PROTECTION
FOR A VARIETY OF OTHERS AS WELL.
SO THE YOU YOU PUT YOURSELF IN
THE SHOES OF FARMERS IN THIS
AREA, AS JAMIE HAS SAID, AND
IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM.
TO SURVIVE IN THIS SPACE. SO
WHERE WERE LEFT? THEN? IS THE
CHALLENGE BEING THAT EVEN IF THE
PROJECT IS DOESN'T IS REJECTED
LOCALLY, DOESN'T GO THROUGH LIFE
GUARDS DROPPED. YOU CAN'T RESET
THE CLOCK, RIGHT? YOU CANNOT
TURN IT BACK AND SAY OKAY, NO
HARM, NO FOUL. LET'S JUST RETURN
TO THE WAY YOU KNOW THAT THIS
COMMUNITY WAS TWO YEARS AGO
BECAUSE THE OWNERS WILL BE GONE
THAT YOU KNOW THE FAMILY FARMERS
WILL HAVE LEFT. THE SUPPORTIVE
INFRASTRUCTURE WILL HAVE BEEN
ELIMINATED AS WELL. UM THE
INVESTMENTS IN THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO OVER AND
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN
WHAT? YOU WHAT YOU FIND YOURSELF
IN A SITUATION WHERE IT'S NOT.
IT MAY NOT BE REVERSIBLE. SO THE
QUESTION I THINK FOR THIS FOR
THE FOR YOU, AND FOR THE FOR THE
STATE IS HOW TO UPGRADE THE
TOOLBOX AT THE STATE LEVEL, SO
WE'RE NOT AT THIS SITUATION AT
THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. TO MANY
OF THE LAWS THAT WE HAVE ARE
NOT. THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED FOR
THIS SCALE. THEY CANNOT HANDLE A
BILLION DOLLARS OF PRIVATE
INVESTMENT ALL AT ONCE, AND THEY
SORT OF ASSUME THAT THEY WOULD
SO THEY'RE GOING. THERE WILL BE
50 STATE AGENCIES REVIEWING THIS
PROJECT AND 20 LOCAL ONES AS
WELL, BUT THEY'RE SEEING IT
AFTER THE FACT AFTER THE FARMERS
HAVE LEFT AND SO THAT THE
CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO BE
NECESSARY TO THE WILLIAMSON ACT
TO LAFCO LAWS TO ALL THESE OTHER
PROVISIONS OF LAW ARE GOING TO
BE ESSENTIAL IN ORDER TO ASSURE
THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND
AGRICULTURAL HAVE AT LEAST A
FIGHTING CHANCE AS AS AS
PROJECTS LIKE THIS. COME
FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND UP. NEXT WE HAVE MADONNA
LENGTH FROM WHAT'S IN REAL TV. A
ZOOM WELCOME MADONNA. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. I AM SO SORRY. I CAN'T
BE THERE IN PERSON. BUT I'M
GREATLY APPRECIATE THIS
OPPORTUNITY. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE AT THE OUTSET. I WOULD
LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR
INVITING ME TO SERVE AS A
PANELIST, FOR TODAY'S IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION ON CALIFORNIA'S
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY. MY NAME
IS MADONNA LANGE. I'M A REALTOR
FOR WATSON REALTY AND
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA I'M 1/5
GENERATION FARMER, SECOND
GENERATION REALTOR AND HAVE OVER
NINE YEARS. REINCE AND SELLING
EGG LAND IN CALIFORNIA. IN MY
EXPERIENCE, I HAVE FOUND THAT
NOT ALL LAND IS CREATED EQUAL,
THEREFORE PROTECTING THE STATE'S
MOST FERTILE LAND IS OF CRITICAL
IMPORTANCE. DURING MY TIME TODAY
, I WILL DISCUSS SEVERAL ISSUES
I'VE IDENTIFIED THROUGH MY WORK
AS A REALTOR AND FARMER THAT
HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS ON
CALIFORNIA'S AGRICULTURAL
INDUSTRY. FIRST THE ISSUE. I'D
LIKE TO BRIEFLY DISCUSSED TODAY
AS WATER. MY DAD IS MY
PROFESSIONAL MENTOR THROUGHOUT
HIS CAREER IS A REALTOR AND
LANDOWNER HE HAS COMPLETED OVER
800. ESCROW TRANSACTIONS. WHEN I
ASKED HIM WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW
ABOUT SELLING AGRICULTURAL LAND
, HE SAID. ONE WORD WATER. I
CAN'T EXPRESS THIS ENOUGH THAT
THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT
QUALIFIER FOR GOOD EGG LAND IS
WATER, HIGH QUALITY AND QUANTITY
. FOOD COMES FROM FERTILE SOIL
AND AVAILABLE WATER IN
CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE THE CLIMATE
TO GROW OVER 400 DIFFERENT
COMMODITIES DUE TO THE
SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER
MANAGEMENT ACT OR SIGMA, A LARGE
PORTION OF VERY FERTILE LAND IS
GOING TO GO FELLOW AGRICULTURAL
LAND PRICES IMPACTED ADVERSELY
BY SIGMA HAVE DROPPED 75% IN MY
EXPERIENCE, AGRICULTURAL LAND
CELLS HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE
COMPLICATED AS A RESULT OF SIGMA
BECAUSE THERE EXISTS A LOT OF
CONFUSION WHEN BUYING PROPERTY.
INCREASINGLY BUYERS ARE
CONCERNED THAT THEIR WATER
ALLOCATIONS WILL DIMINISH THE
CLOSER THEY GET TO 2040. THIS
MARKET UNCERTAINTY HAS
COMPLICATED THE AGRICULTURAL
REAL ESTATE MARKET IN CALIFORNIA
AND FORCED MANY SMALL FARMERS
OUT OF BUSINESS. UNFORTUNATELY
AS A RESULT OF THIS MARKET
UNCERTAINTY, FOREIGN COUNTRIES
CAN SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
PURCHASE QUALITY AGRICULTURAL
FARMLAND FROM SMALL FARMERS. I'D
LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. MY
FAMILY OWNS 80 ACRES IN THE SEMI
TROPICAL WATER DISTRICT. TROPIC
IS MADE UP OF 224,008. 130,000
ACRES IS CURRENTLY IRRIGATED
43,000 ACRES ONLY 43,000 ACRES
BY 2040 WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY
THREE ACRE FEET PER ACRE OF
WATER. THREE ACRE FEET PER ACRE
OF WATER IS WHAT IS NEEDED TO
GROW MOST CROPS. 83,000 ACRES
WILL HAVE SIX INCHES TO ONE ACRE
FOOT PER ACRE WATER ALLOTMENT.
IF YOU WANT TO FARM THEN YOU
WILL NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WATER
ALLOTMENT YOU WILL NEED TO GROW
YOUR CROPS AND YOU WILL NEED TO
START BUYING LAND TO EQUAL THAT
WATER ALLOCATION. CURRENTLY ARE
80 ACRES, HAS THREE ACRE FEET
PER ACRE WATER ALLOTMENT BY 2040
. WE WILL HAVE SIX INCHES OF
WATER ALLOCATION. THEREFORE WE
WILL NEED TO PURCHASE AND OWN
SIX ACRES FOR EVERY ACRE. WE
PLAN TO FARM. THE SECOND ISSUE
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT TODAY IS
DATA COLLECTION IN REAL ESTATE
TRANSACTION PROCESS, AS MOST OF
YOU KNOW, FINDING A LANDOWNER
CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT AND A VERY
ARDUOUS TASK. I PERSONALLY HAVE
SEARCHED FOR AGRICULTURAL
PROPERTY OWNERS AND FOUND IT TO
BE VERY DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY
THE ACTUAL PROPERTY OWNER IN ONE
CASE, THREE PEOPLE IN OUR TEAM
PLUS OUR CLIENT SEARCH FOR THREE
WEEKS TO LOCATE AT THE OWNER OF
A PARCEL IN BAKERSFIELD,
CALIFORNIA. EVENTUALLY IT TURNED
OUT THAT THE OWNER LIVED IN
SANTA BARBARA, BUT
COINCIDENTALLY HAD HIS OFFICE
ACROSS THE PARKING LOT FROM OUR
OFFICE BUILDING AT A RECENT
SENATE AGRICULTURAL HEARING.
ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD
PREVENT FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS FROM
PURCHASING AGRICULTURAL LAND IN
CALIFORNIA. I MENTIONED THE
AGRICULTURAL REAL ESTATE
TRANSACTION DATA. COULD NOT
ACCURATELY BE COLLECTED IN A
TIMELY MANNER. IN THE SCENARIO I
JUST DESCRIBED IT TOOK THREE
MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM PLUS OUR
CLIENT THREE WEEKS TO ACCURATELY
IDENTIFY THE OWNER OF A PARCEL
MY CLIENTS SOUGHT TO PURCHASE
CALIFORNIA'S REAL ESTATE
TRANSACTION DATA COLLECTION
SYSTEM NEEDS TO CHANGE THERE
NEEDS TO BE A VERIFIED PHYSICAL
ADDRESS, EMAIL, PHONE NUMBER AND
FOREIGN STATUS INFORMATION FOR
CORPORATIONS, LLCS AND
INDIVIDUALS OWNING LAND IN
CALIFORNIA. CURRENTLY UNDER THE
CALIFORNIA LAW, SELLERS HAVE TO
DECLARE IF THEY POSSESS NON
FOREIGN STATUS. HOWEVER THIS
REQUIREMENT ALSO NEEDS TO APPLY
TO THE BUYER AS WELL. THIS
REQUIREMENT WOULD ASSIST AN
ACCURATE REAL TIME DATA
COLLECTION FOR LANDOWNERS, AS
DESCRIBED. THE DATA THAT IS
REQUIRED IS BIG AND UNTIL YOU
CHANGE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO
BE DIFFICULT TO TRACK. LIKE TO
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A
TRANSACTION IN A REAL ESTATE
DEAL. IF A BUYER WANTS TO
PURCHASE LAND, I NEED TO KNOW
WHERE THEY WANT TO BUY IF
THEY'RE PAYING CASH OR FINANCING
AND WHAT THEY WANT TO GROW. I
NEED TO KNOW IF THEY WANT
GRAZING LAND FOR CATTLE AND
EXISTING ORCHARD. DEVELOPING
ORCHARD LAND FOR ROW CROPS OR
DEVELOPMENT. THEIR ANSWERS WILL
TELL ME HOW MANY SOURCES OF
WATER THEY NEED. IF IT'S BEEN
FINANCED, THEY WILL NEED TO
SOURCES OF WATER. A SEASONED
BUYER WILL KNOW WHAT DISTRICT
THEY WANT TO BUY IN SOME WATER
DISTRICTS ARE IN BETTER
CONDITION TO PROVIDE WATER THAN
OTHERS. I WILL CHECK THE MLS AND
COMMERCIAL SITES FOR AVAILABLE
LAND. OFTEN LAND ISN'T FOR SALE
IF IT HAS GOOD WATER AVAILABLE.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, I START
LOOKING UP PARCELS AND
LANDOWNERS SO THAT I CAN SEE IF
THEY'D BE INTERESTED IN SELLING
. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE DATA
WAS RELIABLE AND COULD PROVIDE
ME WITH THE NAME, ADDRESS AND
PHONE NUMBER. THIS WAS THE
SITUATION WHEN THE LANDOWNERS
OFFICE WAS ACROSS THE PARKING
LOT. ONCE A PARCELS LOCATED AND
OFFERS MADE THE SALES CONTINGENT
ON INVESTIGATIONS. FINANCE
DISCLOSURES, ACCEPTANCE AND
APPRAISAL. INVESTIGATIONS
INCLUDE PHASE ONE SOILS, LEAF
SAMPLES, WATER SAMPLES, WELL
TEST SEPTIC TESTS. BUILDING
INSPECTIONS, ETCETERA. NORMALLY
THERE'S A 45 DAY FREE LOOK
PERIOD SO THAT THERE IS TIME TO
REACH OUT TO THE WATER DISTRICT
AND HEAR BACK ON ANOTHER BIT
INVESTIGATIVE WORK, FINANCE AND
APPRAISALS. ESCROW FOR LAND
DEALS CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 90
DAYS TO SIX MONTHS DURING THAT
TIME TITLE IS RUN. ON THE
PROPERTY FINANCES ESTABLISHED
AND THE DISCLOSURES AND
DOCUMENTS ARE SIGNED BY BOTH
BUYERS AND SELLERS. IF A PROBLEM
IS DISCOVERED, THEN THAT HAS TO
BE NEGOTIATED. I HAVE HAD BUYERS
ADDED AND SUBTRACTED RIGHT UP TO
THE CLOSE OF ESCROW. IT'S RARE,
BUT IT DOES OCCUR. ONE OF OUR
PARTNERS AMERICAN FIRST AMERICAN
TITLE WHO HAS HELPED US WITH A
LOT OF OUR TRANSACTIONS. I
REACHED OUT TO THEM TO VERIFY
THAT BUYERS AREN'T REQUIRED TO
DECLARE FOREIGN STATUS CONFIRMED
THAT IN SITUATIONS WHERE FOREIGN
COMPANIES ARE SELLING OR TAKING
OUT A LOAN, THEY HAVE TO VERIFY
THE CORRECT PERSON IS SIGNING.
HOWEVER NON FORCED NON FOREIGN
STATUS DISCLOSURES ARE NOT
COMPLETED BY THE SELLER.
PRESENTLY A LARGE PORTION OF
DATA THAT IS COLLECTED IS
PROVIDED ON VOLUNTEER BASIS AND
ALLOWS FOR VIRTUAL ADDRESSES TO
BE SUBMITTED INSTEAD OF ACTUAL
ADDRESSES. PROVIDING AN EMAIL IS
OPTIONAL AND PHONE NUMBERS AND
EVEN REQUIRED DATA IS ONLY AS
GOOD AS THE INFORMATION
PROVIDED. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
PARTICIPATE TODAY AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT
YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. AND UP. NEXT WE
HAVE MELISSA MELISSA CREEGAN,
THE COMMISSIONER FOR FRESNO
COUNTY. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIRWOMAN HARTARTO. THANK YOU.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR
HAVING ME HERE TO SPEAK TODAY
AGAIN. MY NAME IS MELISSA CRAIG
AND I'M THE AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONER IN SAILOR OF
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN FRESNO
COUNTY, AND I ALSO REPRESENT THE
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONER AND SEALERS
ASSOCIATION AS THE VICE
PRESIDENT OF AGRICULTURE. CASA
REPRESENTS ALL OF COUNCIL FOR
ENYA'S 58 COUNTIES AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSION. 58 COUNTIES, SO
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING AND
PROTECTING THE STATE'S FOOD
SUPPLY, AGRICULTURAL TRADE, THE
ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH AND
SAFETY, CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AND
A FAIR MARKET PLACE IN
CALIFORNIA. WHEN I WROTE THESE
COMMENTS, WE HAD A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT, UH, DIRECTION FOR
THIS HEARING, BUT I PROMISE YOU
AT THE END, I'M GOING TO TIE
THIS IN, SO I'M GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT PAST
PREVENTION IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA'S
FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND
FARMWORKERS GROW OVER 400
DIFFERENT SPECIALTY CROPS AND
PRODUCE OVER 50% OF THE NATION'S
PRODUCE. WHEN WE DISCUSS THREATS
TO CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE IS AN
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER. MY
FIRST THOUGHT IS THE NEED TO
PROTECT AGRICULTURE FROM
INVASIVE SPECIES AND PLANT
DISEASES. CALIFORNIA'S
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS ARE
PART OF A NETWORK OF FEDERAL,
STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES THAT
FOCUS ON PROTECTING US AND
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE THROUGH
PEST PREVENTION PROGRAMS. SIMPLY
PUT PEOPLE MOVE PASSED THROUGH
THE MOVEMENT OF INFESTED ITEMS.
THIS CAN INCLUDE COMMERCIAL
AGRICULTURAL SHIPMENTS, BUT ALSO
ITEMS AND PASSENGER LUGGAGE
PARCELS CONTAINING HOMEGROWN
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, NURSERY
STOCK SHIPMENTS IN THE MOVEMENT
OF EQUIPMENT AND OTHER OUTDOOR
ITEMS THAT CAN HARBOR PESTS AND
THEIR EGG MASSES. CALIFORNIA HAS
MANY ENTRY PATHWAYS, INCLUDING
SIX INTERNATIONAL PORTS OF ENTRY
ALONG THE BORDER WITH MEXICO. 12
SEAPORTS 27 COMMERCIAL AIRPORTS,
NINE OF WHICH ARE INTERNATIONAL.
16 BORDER PROTECTION STATEMENTS
. STATIONS ALONG THE OREGON,
NEVADA AND ARIZONA BORDER AND
100 AND 65 PARCEL DISTRIBUTION
CENTERS. THOSE ARE FEDEX UPS ON
TRACK IN THE U. S. POSTAL
SERVICE. THAT NUMBER CONTINUES
TO GROW, MAYBE NOT DAILY BUT
PROBABLY MONTHLY. AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, THE AGRICULTURAL
QUARANTINE AND INSPECTION
PROGRAM OPERATED BY THE US
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S
ANIMAL PLANT, HEALTH INSPECTION
SERVICE, AND THE U. S DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY, CUSTOMS
AND BORDER PROTECTION, WORKS TO
INTERCEPT PLANT AND ANIMAL
THREATS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
ENTRY OF IMPORTED GOODS. AN
INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS AT THE
NATION'S 328 LAND, AIR AND SEA
PORTS OF ENTRY. THEIR CURRENT
STAFFING IS APPROXIMATELY 2700
AGRICULTURAL SPECIALISTS AND 165
K 9 TEAMS NATIONWIDE. AT THE
STATE LEVEL PEST EXCLUSION IS
THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE. THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD
KNOCK AGRICULTURE OPERATES 16
BORDER PROTECTION STATEMENT
STATIONS. WHERE VEHICLES
ENTERING CALIFORNIA ARE
INSPECTED AND TO ENSURE THAT
THEY ARE PEST FREE AND MEET ALL
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. CDF A
REPORTS THAT IN MOST YEARS MORE
THAN 20 MILLION PRIVATE VEHICLES
AND 7 MILLION COMMERCIAL
VEHICLES CROSS INTO CALIFORNIA,
RESULTING IN 82,000 REJECTIONS.
SOME SHIPMENTS THAT ARE
DIFFICULT TO INSPECT, SUCH AS
BEEHIVES AND NURSERY STOCK ARE
FLAGGED FOR ADDITIONAL
INSPECTION BY COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER STAFF
AT DESTINATION. THE STATE'S HIGH
RISK PEST EXCLUSION PROGRAM
FOCUSES ON PATHWAYS THAT HAVE
SHOWN TO BE OF THE HIGHEST RISK
FOR INTRODUCTIONS OF PESTS INTO
CALIFORNIA. THESE PATHWAYS
INCLUDE PARCEL AIR AND NURSERY
STOCK SHIPMENTS. IN FISCAL YEAR
2021 COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONER STAFF MADE OVER
25,000 PREMISE VISITS INSPECTING
378,000 SHIPMENTS RESULTING IN
THE ISSUANCE OF 6000 NOTICE OF
REJECTIONS IN THE INTERCEPTION
OF 1841 PEST JUST PASSED
DETRIMENTAL TO AGRICULTURE. IN
ADDITION TO THE HIGH RISK PEST
EXCLUSION PROGRAM, CALIFORNIA
OPERATES 14 CANINE TEAMS FOCUSED
SOLELY ON PARCEL FACILITIES.
THESE TEAMS ARE FUNDED THROUGH,
UH, FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL FARM
BILL. FROM JULY 1ST 2021 TO JUNE
30TH 2022, CALIFORNIA DOG TEAMS
ALERTED ON 47,500 PARCELS.
CONTAINING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
. THOSE ARE PARCELS THAT ARE
MOVING INTO CALIFORNIA. THEY
INTERCEPTED 966 SIGNIFICANT PAST
DETRIMENTAL TO AGRICULTURE.
THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE 1841
THAT WERE FOUND THROUGH THE HIGH
RISK PAST EXCLUSION PROGRAM. 562
OF THESE PESTS WERE INTERCEPTED
IN UNMARKED PACKAGES, WHICH IS
58% DEMONSTRATING THAT UNMARKED
PARCELS PRESENT A HIGH RISK
PASSED AWAY FOR SIGNIFICANT
AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURAL PEST
AND CALIFORNIA. DETECTOR CANINES
NOT ONLY ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY
LOCATE UNMARKED PARCELS BUT ALSO
INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE
IDENTIFICATION AND INSPECTION OF
MARKED PARCELS ALLOWING
INSPECTION STAFF TO IDENTIFY
INSPECT MORE PARCELS THAT WOULD
THAT WOULD THEN WOULD BE
POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE
OF THESE CANINES. INEVITABLY WE
ARE NOT ABLE TO INTERCEPT EVERY
PAST ENTERING CALIFORNIA.
DETECTION IS THE SECOND LINE OF
DEFENSE TO ACTIVELY SEARCH FOR
PAST THAT WE'RE ABLE TO EVADE OR
PEST EXCLUSION EFFORTS. EARLY
DETECTION OF PESTS BEFORE THEY
BECOME ESTABLISHED IS CRUCIAL TO
THE SUCCESS OF ERADICATING THE
PAST. EACH YEAR CD F A AND C A C
STAFF. DEPLOY OVER 22 SORRY.
235,000 DETECTION TRAPS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TARGETING EXOTIC
FRUIT FLIES JAPANESE BEETLE,
WHICH IS INFESTED MOST STATES
EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
SPONGY MOTH, WHICH INFESTS
STATES IN THE NORTHWESTERN
UNITED STATES. ASIAN CITRUS
PSYLLID, WHICH IS THE VECTOR OF
WANG, LONG BEING THAT HAS
DECIMATED THE CITRUS INDUSTRY IN
FLORIDA. AND THE GLASS CEILING
SHARPSHOOTER, WHICH IS THE
VECTOR OF PIERCE'S DISEASE AND
GRAPEVINES. BOTH THE ASIAN
CITRUS PSYLLID AND THE GLASS
CEILING SHARPSHOOTER OR
ESTABLISHED IN PARTS OF
CALIFORNIA, AND CURRENT EFFORTS
IN THESE PROGRAMS ARE TO LIMIT
THE SPREAD OF THE VECTOR AND
DISEASE UNTIL RESEARCH CAN FIND
WAYS FOR OUR FARMERS TO COMBAT
COMBAT THESE DISEASES. OUR LAST
LINE OF DEFENSE IS PESTERING
EDUCATION. SINCE JANUARY OF THIS
YEAR, CDFA HAS SET UP
DELIMITATION TRAPPING OR
ERADICATION PROJECTS IN RESPONSE
TO TWO JAPANESE BEETLE
DETECTIONS TO SPONGY MOP
PROTECTIONS AND 32 SEPARATE
EXOTIC FRUIT FLY DETECTIONS,
INCLUDING GUAVA ORIENTAL
QUEENSLAND PEACH AND TELL FRUIT
FLIES. FRUIT FLY INFESTATION IS
THE FIRST DETECTION OF THIS PAST
IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. EACH
PEST INFESTATION CAN COST OVER
$1 MILLION TO ERADICATE. THIS
DOES NOT INCLUDE LOSSES TO THE
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY FOR THE
COSTS OF COMPLYING WITH
QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS. EACH
PAST INFANT STATION HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO DISRUPT TRADE AND
SHIPMENTS OF AGRICULTURAL
COMMODITIES TO OTHER STATES AND
COUNTIES AND COUNTRIES. WELL
PAST DETECTIONS IN OUR MOST
POPULOUS AREAS OF THE STATE
OCCUR EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR IS
DIFFERENT IN THAT. FIVE SEPARATE
DETECTIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY COUNTIES OF
FRESNO, KERN AND MERCED. AND A
TYPICAL YEAR THERE ARE ZERO OR
MAYBE ONE EXOTIC FRUIT FLY
DETECTION IN THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY. THE THREAT TO CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE FROM EXOTIC PESTS
AND DISEASES WILL ONLY CONTINUE
TO GROW AS WE SEE INCREASES IN
CALIFORNIA'S POPULATION AND
CONTINUED GLOBALIZATION. THE
LAST TIME A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
OF CALIFORNIA'S PEST PRESENT
PREVENTION SYSTEM WAS CONDUCTED
WAS 1997 AS A RESULT OF SB 2062
AUTHORED BY DON ROGERS.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT STUDY
INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL $14
MILLION FOR HIGH RISK PEST
EXCLUSION ACTIVITIES. AS A
RESULT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION,
FOOD NAG CODE SECTION 20 TO 82.5
WAS ENACTED, REQUIRING AN
APPROPRIATION OF 5.5 MILLION TO
BE UTILIZED SLOWLY SOLELY FOR
HIGH RISK PEST EXCLUSION
ACTIVITIES. THE INTENTION AT THE
TIME WAS TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT
TO 14 MILLION IN THE FOLLOWING
YEARS SINCE THE 5.5 MILLION WAS
ONLY MEANT TO FUND THE PROGRAM
FOR A PARTIAL FOR THE PARTIAL
YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY THAT NEVER
HAPPENED. AND DESPITE THE
STATUTE CURRENTLY FUNDING FROM
THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY BEEN $3.1
MILLION STATEWIDE, COMPARED TO
THE 14 MILLION IN $1997 THAT WAS
RECOMMENDED TO FUND THAT PROGRAM
. THIS FUNDING WAS CUT IN FISCAL
YEAR TWO. 12 13 WITH. OBVIOUSLY
ALL OF THE BUDGET CUTS THAT A
LOT OF AGENCIES HAD TO UNDERGO.
HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER, UM, IT
WAS NEVER ESTABLISHED. IN AN
EFFORT TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
CASA AND CDFA HAVE PARTNERED
WITH UC AND CSU RESEARCHERS TO
CONDUCT A NEW COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW OF CALIFORNIA'S PEST
PREVENTION SYSTEM. THAT REPORT
IS DUE TO BE FINALIZED IN EARLY
2024, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING UPDATED INFORMATION ON
THE NEEDS OF THE PEST PREVENTION
PROGRAM TO PROTECT CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE. NOW I'LL TIE IN HOW
WE'VE SEEN THIS. UH, THE. THE
IDEA AND THE CONCEPT OF PEST
PREVENTION AND PEST CONTROL IN
GENERAL, UM, COME INTO PLAY WITH
LAND USE AND FRESNO COUNTY. WE
HAVE A LOT OF AREAS THAT HAVE
BEEN PURCHASED BY, UM BY
INVESTORS TO FOR LOTS OF REASONS
THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT
TODAY. AND THEY DON'T COME IN
AND PURCHASE THAT LAND AND TAKE
OUT THE CROP AND RETURN IT TO
THE NATIVE VEGETATION. THEY JUST
SIMPLY ABANDONED THE CROP. AND
IT STARTS ITS IT CONTINUES TO BE
OUT THERE GROWING AND YOU KNOW
CERTAIN STATES HARBORING PASTS.
AND THOSE PESTS, THEN MOVE ONTO
ADJACENT PROPERTIES AND CAUSE
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. AND YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE ONE AREA ON THE
WEST SIDE OF FRESNO COUNTY THAT
IS 7000 ACRES THAT WAS PURCHASED
BY A CANADIAN PENSION. FUND THAT
HAS BEEN ABANDONED AND IT'S
CAUSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND
DAMAGE TO THE NEIGHBORS. AND THE
NEIGHBORING FARM OWNERS COME TO
ME, THE COMMISSIONER AND THEY
SAY, YOU KNOW, MELISSA, UM, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S THESE ABATEMENT
LAWS ON THE BOOKS, RIGHT? YOU
KNOW, THE AD COMMISSIONER, YOU
CAN GO ON A BAIT THESE PEST
PROBLEMS AND THAT IS TRUE. THERE
ARE ABATEMENT LAWS ON THE BOOKS,
BUT THEY DON'T WORK. AH THE
ABATEMENT PROCESS FIRST REQUIRES
ME TO DETERMINE WHO THE PROPERTY
OWNER IS. AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED
TODAY, THAT CAN OBVIOUSLY BE
DIFFICULT TO DO. AND SO, UM
MAYBE AFTER FIVE OR SO YEARS OF
RESEARCHING WHO OWNS THE
PROPERTY, SENDING LETTERS
THROUGH OUR COUNTY COUNCILS, WE
MIGHT GET SOME COOPERATION FROM
THE PROPERTY OWNER. BUT IF WE
DON'T THE PROCESS REQUIRES THAT
THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
AUTHORIZES THE COMMISSIONER TO
GO OUT AND PROCURE A CONTRACT.
AND HAVE THAT WHATEVER THAT
THAT. PAST IS THAT NEED TO BE
ABATEMENT ABATED REMOVED, AND IN
THIS CASE, WE WOULD NEED TO
REMOVE 7000 ACRES. THAT'S
PROBABLY IN THE RANGE OF 20 TO
$25 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND UH, THAT'S THAT'S MORE THAN
DOUBLE MY DEPARTMENT BUDGET, SO
OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T FIT THAT IN MY
BUDGET. AND SO I'D HAVE TO GO TO
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND
ASKED THEM TO FUND THAT AND
THAT'S ONE PROJECT. YOU KNOW, I
HAVE. LOTS OF SITUATIONS. MAYBE
NOT ON THAT SCALE. BUT UM, LOTS
OF SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE
PASSED FROM ABANDONED PROPERTIES
THAT ARE NOW CAUSING ISSUES FOR
OUR FAMILY FARMERS THAT ARE
STILL TRYING TO FARM THE LAND.
AND SO WHEN YOU START STACKING
ALL OF THESE, THESE THINGS THAT
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY
TOGETHER, IT REALLY DOES. YOU
KNOW IT AT SOME POINT THEY DO.
JUST FINALLY SAY YOU KNOW WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO SELL, AND WE'RE
SEEING A LOT OF THAT, ESPECIALLY
ON THE WEST SIDE OF FRESNO
COUNTY, WHERE WATER IS SCARCE.
UM AND THEY DON'T REALLY SEE
OTHER OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, AND
THEIR KIDS AREN'T LOOKING TO
FARM ANYMORE. THEY DON'T SEE IT
AS AS A VIABLE UH, YOU KNOW,
IT'S A VIABLE CAREER, SO UM, I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE INVITATION TO
BE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK, AND I'D
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. WE HAVE ONE MORE
SPEAKER AND THAT IS MICHAEL DELL
BAR, CEO OF CALIFORNIA RANGE
LAND TRUST. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE AND PLEASE. PLEASE BEGIN.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND AS
YOU STAYED ON MICHAEL DELL BAR,
THE CEO OF THE CALIFORNIA RANGE
LAND TRUST. AND MY COMMENTS ARE
GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT ANGLE AS WELL. BUT
DEFINITELY, UH, PERTINENT TO THE
CONVERSATION. SO 25 YEARS AGO,
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
CALIFORNIA RANGELANDS TRUST WAS
A VISIONARY STEP TAKEN BY THE
CALIFORNIA CATTLEMEN'S
ASSOCIATION TO ENSURE THE
PRESERVATION OF OUR STATE'S RICH
RANCHING HERITAGE. BACK THEN WE
WITNESSED A MASS EXODUS OF
RANCHERS TO OTHER STATES DRIVEN
AWAY BY RISING LAND COSTS,
BURDENSOME TAXES AND THE LOOMING
THREAT OF UNCHECKED DEVELOPMENT.
RANCHERS WERE ALSO FACING HUGE
FINANCIAL CHALLENGES WITH THE
ESTATE TAX BURDENS TO FAMILY
MEMBERS WANTING THEIR SHARE OF
THE RANCH VALUE, BUT NOT THEIR
SHARE OF THE WORK. THE RANGE
LAND TRUST WAS FORMED TO BE A
SERVICE TO CALIFORNIA'S RANCHING
FAMILIES, OFFERING A TOOL
THROUGH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
THAT CAN HELP SAVE THAT FAMILY
RANCH. FLASH FORWARD TO TODAY,
THE RANGELAND TRUST HAS WORKED
WITH 87 RANCHING FAMILIES IN THE
STATE TO CONSERVE OVER 378,000
ACRES OF PRIVATE WORKING
RANGELANDS FROM SISKIYOU COUNTY
TO SAN DIEGO COUNTY PACIFIC
OCEAN TO THE NEVADA BORDER WITH
ANOTHER 102 RANCHING FAMILIES IN
OUR QUÊ TRYING TO CONSERVE MORE
THAN 225,000 ADDITIONAL ACRES
WITH US AND I'M PROUD THAT OUR
VERY FIRST EASEMENT, WHICH THE
CONGRESSMAN DID NOT MENTION WAS
HIS FAMILY'S RANCH. SO THANK YOU
FOR GETTING US A GOOD KICK
START. SO A SUCCESSFUL AS WE
HAVE BEEN WITH THIS TOOL TO HELP
CALIF PROTECT CALIFORNIA'S
WORKING LANDS, THE THREATS TO
THE RANCHING AND FARMING
INDUSTRY THAT THEY SAW 25 YEARS
AGO HAVE NOT DISAPPEARED. AND
HAVE CONTINUED TO LURK RIGHT
AROUND THE CORNER FOR PRIVATE
LANDOWNERS. THE ADDITION OF MORE
REGULATIONS AND THREATS HAS MADE
IT EVEN HARDER TO BE A RANCHER
AND FARMER IN CALIFORNIA. THEY
OPERATE ON VERY THIN MARGINS.
THE OLD ADAGE HOW TO MAKE THEM
HOW TO END UP WITH A MILLION
DOLLARS IN RANCHING. START WITH
3 MILLION SO WHY DO RANCHERS
CELL WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP
THEM? STAY ON THE LAND. ISSUES
THAT FORCE THESE LANDOWNERS TO
LOOK AT GETTING OUT OF THIS
BUSINESS. SQUEEZED PROFIT
MARGINS, THE EVER RISING COSTS
OF EQUIPMENT FEED, FEED AND
OTHER INPUTS ARE ERODING PROFIT
MARGINS FOR RANCHERS AND
FARMERS. THEY FACE THE PARADOX
OF PAYING RETAIL PRICES TO
PRODUCE PRODUCTS SOLD. AT
WHOLESALE RATES. MAKING IT
INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING TO
SUSTAIN THEIR OPERATIONS. LAND
PURCHASES AS INVESTMENTS AS
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY,
OUTSIDERS TO THE INDUSTRY,
INCLUDING WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS
AND CORPORATIONS ARE
INCREASINGLY PURCHASING
AGRICULTURAL LANDS AS
INVESTMENTS. THE SURGE IN DEMAND
IS DRIVING UP LAND PRICES,
RENDERING IT AND AFFORDABLE FOR
AVERAGE RANCHERS AND FARMERS TO
ACQUIRE LAND FOR PRODUCTION
PURPOSES. LABOR COSTS AND
REGULATIONS, STRINGENT LABOR
REGULATIONS AND ESCALATING LABOR
COSTS ARE ADDING TO THE BURDEN
FACED BY RANCHERS AND FARMERS,
MAKING IT HARDER FOR THEM TO
MAINTAIN THEIR OPERATIONS
EFFICIENTLY. CARB REQUIREMENTS
AND EQUIPMENT COSTS. RANCHERS
ARE GRAPPLING WITH THE FINANCIAL
STRAIN OF CONFORMING TO CARB
REQUIREMENTS, OFTEN
NECESSITATING SUBSTANTIAL
INVESTMENTS IN EQUIPMENT
UPGRADES. MANY ARE BEING FORCED
TO DIVERT REVENUE TOWARDS
MEETING THE REGULATIONS, LEAVING
THEIR PROFIT MARGINS EVEN
THINNER AND THINNER. FUEL COSTS
, ESCALATING FUEL PRICES, WITH
DIESEL, SURPASSING $5 A GALLON
AND DRIVING UP TRANSPORTATION
OPERATIONAL EXPENSES. THESE
ELEVATED COSTS HINDER ESSENTIAL
ACTIVITIES SUCH AS LIVESTOCK,
TRANSPORTATION AND FIELDWORK.
LACK OF PROCESSING FACILITIES,
THE SCARCITY OF PROCESSING
FACILITIES AND THE HIGH COST
ASSOCIATED WITH PROCESSING OR
POSING SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES TO
RANCHERS. TWO WAY LONG RANGE
HAULING OF ANIMALS AND PRODUCTS
BECOME UNVIABLE DUE TO THESE
CHALLENGES. DROUGHT AND WATER
RESTRICTIONS, SEVERE DROUGHT
CONDITIONS AND WATER
RESTRICTIONS HAVE LED TO REDUCE
LAND PRODUCTION AND FORCED
RANCHERS TO SELL CATTLE DUE TO
INADEQUATE PASTURES. THIS NOT
ONLY DIMINISHES FOOD PRODUCTION
LOCALLY BUT ALSO IMPACTS OUR
STATE NATION AND GLOBAL FOOD
SUPPLY. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE
NOT ONLY DEVELOP NEW WATER
SUPPLIES, BUT PROTECT OUR
EXISTING ONES AS WELL.
GENERATIONAL TRANSITION AND LAND
TRANSFER. AN ADDITIONAL
CHALLENGE LIES IN THE FACT THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS FIVE TIMES MORE
FARMERS AND RANCHERS, AGE 65 AND
OVER THAN THOSE UNDER 35. THE
TRANSFER OF LAND FROM ONE
GENERATION TO THE NEXT IS A
MAJOR CONCERN, IMPACTING THE
INDUSTRY'S FUTURE. AND NEGATIVE
PUBLIC PERCEPTION. RANCHERS AND
FARMERS OFTEN FIND THEMSELVES
PORTRAYED UNFAVORABLY BY THE
MEDIA. AND FRANKLY, BY SOME
SECTORS OF GOVERNMENT. THIS
PORTRAYAL DOES NOT REFLECT THE
VITAL ROLE THEY PLAY IN FEEDING
OUR COMMUNITIES AND SUSTAINING
OUR ECONOMY. IT ALSO UNFAIRLY
DRIES PUBLIC OPINION, WHICH HAS
A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON FARMERS AND
RANCHERS. SO ALL THAT'S LIKE A
DEATH FROM 1000 CUTS. YET. WITH
THESE CHALLENGES COME POTENTIAL
SOLUTIONS AND IF WE AS A STATE
ARE WILLING TO RALLY BEHIND THE
INDUSTRY, SOME OF THESE
SOLUTIONS INCLUDE CONSERVATION
EASEMENTS. CONSERVATION IS
PRESENT A POTENTIAL SOLUTION BY
REDUCING LAND COSTS THROUGH THE
ELIMINATION OF DEVELOPMENT
VALUE. THIS APPROACH COULD
FACILITATE YOUNGER PRODUCERS,
ABILITY TO ACQUIRE AND CONTINUE
AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS. WHILE
THE STATE HAS PROVIDED FUNDING
FOR THE ACQUISITION OF
AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION
EASEMENTS, THE FUNDS AMOUNT TO
ONLY 11 CENTS PER CAPITA. FOR
REFERENCE. DELAWARE SPENDS $6
PER CAPITA IN ORDER TO
PERMANENTLY PROTECT WORKING
LANDS THAT THOSE 102 RANCHING
FAMILIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO THE
RANGELAND TRUST TO PROTECT. WE
WOULD NEED $250 MILLION. THE
LONGER THEY HAVE TO WAIT, THE
GREATER THE CHANCE AND
CIRCUMSTANCES WILL CHANGE AND WE
WILL LOSE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE WERE ACTUALLY APPROACHED BY
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE. USING THE
MONEY IS THAT THE CONGRESSMAN
MENTIONED. TO HELP PROTECT
THROUGH CONSERVATION HAS BEEN SO
LAND AROUND THE BASE. WHEN WE
SAID WE'RE ABSOLUTELY INTERESTED
IN WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW CAN WE
MAKE THIS WORK? THEY SAID, OH,
WELL, NEVER MIND. THERE'S NOT
ENOUGH LAND LEFT. THAT WAS A BIG
BLOW FOR US BECAUSE WE WERE
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PUT EASEMENTS ON
THOSE LANDS AND KEEP THEM IN
PRODUCTION. WILLIAMSON ACT. I'M
GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT SPIN HERE. THE
WILLIAMSON ACTORS RECOGNIZES THE
BEST CONSERVATION PROGRAM IN
TERMS OF VALUE. REINSTATING
COUNTIES, INVENTIONS COULD
BOLSTER ITS EFFECTIVENESS AND
GET MORE LANDS ENROLLED IN THE
PROGRAM. IT MAY NOT HELP IN THIS
PARTICULAR CASE, BUT IT IS A
HUGE BENEFIT TO THOSE FARMERS
AND RANCHERS AND KEEPING THEM IN
BUSINESS. IT'S ANOTHER TWO THAT
THEY NEED AND IT'S VERY
EFFECTIVE. DIRECT TO CONSUMER
SALES OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS,
DIRECT TO CONSUMER SALES HAVE
TRIPLED. HOWEVER A SERIOUS LACK
OF INFRASTRUCTURE HINDERS THE
INDUSTRY'S ABILITY TO FULLY
CAPITALIZE ON THIS AVENUE. BY
ADDRESSING THE INFRASTRUCTURE
ISSUES AND OTHER REGULATIONS
THAT PRESENTS A TREMENDOUS
OPPORTUNITY FOR PRODUCERS TO
CAPITALIZE ON THEIR SALES AND
ALSO TO CONSUMERS AND TO GO
DIRECTLY TO THE SOURCE TO GET
THEIR FOOD. AND WHILE THIS IS
NOT A STATE ISSUE, FEDERAL ONE
ELIMINATING CAPITAL GAINS WELL,
IT'S A FEDERAL ISSUE,
ELIMINATING CAPITAL GAINS TAXES
ON THE SALE OF CONSERVATION
EASEMENTS COULD SERVE AS AN
INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE MORE
LANDOWNERS TO PURSUE PARTICIPATE
IN CONSERVATION EFFORTS.
CALIFORNIA PRODUCES OVER 400
COMMODITIES, SOME OF WHICH ARE
ONLY COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED HERE
IN THE STATE. AGRICULTURE
CONTRIBUTES OVER $132 BILLION
PER YEAR TO THE STATE'S ECONOMY.
OUR AG INDUSTRY IS VITAL FOR
FOOD SECURITY. ECONOMIC
PROSPERITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY. YET AGRICULTURE MUCH
TOO OFTEN GETS BLAMED, REGULATED
AND DRIVEN OUT. WE ALL FELT THE
IMPACT OF THE LACK OF ABUNDANT
AND AFFORDABLE FOOD SUPPLIES.
WHEN DURING COVID, WE STARED AT
EMPTY SHELVES IN THE GROCERY
STORE. CALIFORNIA STANDS AS A
NATIONAL LEADER IN AGRICULTURE
ARE FARMERS AND RANCHERS FACE
MOUNTING OBSTACLES THAT
JEOPARDIZE THEIR ABILITY TO
CONTINUE FEEDING OUR STATE AND
NATION. THE ADDITIONAL
REGULATIONS AND CHALLENGES THEY
ENCOUNTER DAILY ONLY MAKE THEIR
PLIGHT MORE DIFFICULT. AS THE
NUMBER OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS
DECREASES THE SPECTRUM OF FOOD
INSECURITY LOOMS LARGER OVER OUR
STATE, NATION AND WORLD. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND SENATORS
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE
THESE THOUGHTS WITH YOU TODAY. I
WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN
TODAY'S COMMITTEE HEARING.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A LOT OF
SPEAKERS HERE TODAY, BUT I THINK
VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF YOU PROVIDED,
UM, JUST REALLY GOOD INSIGHT
INTO THE LANDSCAPE OF ALL THE
DIFFERENT THREATS AND CHALLENGES
THAT REALLY COME WITH IT, BUT
THE AGRICULTURE AND THE LAND AT
THIS MOMENT, I WANT TO PROVIDE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. UM, FOR
OUR PANELISTS. AND SENATOR
CORTEZ E. THANK YOU, SENATOR
TATO. AND FIRST OF ALL, THANK
YOU FOR CONVENING THAT THE
HEARING. IT'S BEEN, UM WELL,
IT'S MUCH NEEDED, UM I THINK
EVER SINCE I ATTENDED THE
DOCUMENTARY THAT YOU, UM THAT WE
YOU SET UP THE SCREENING FOR
HERE IN SACRAMENTO. AND HEARD
WHAT MR HALVERSON HAD TO SAY.
MHM. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HELP
BUT NOTICE THE NUMBER OF
TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE GOING ON.
THAT FRANKLY, I PROBABLY WOULD
HAVE JUST OVERLOOKED AS ROUTINE
TRANSACTIONS AT SOME LEVEL
BECAUSE BIG TRANSACTIONS SOME
LEVEL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF
THE STATE. IT'S A BIG, IT'S A
BIG STATE. WE DEAL IN. LARGE
ACREAGE, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH AS
MONTANA OR WYOMING, BUT
CERTAINLY IN OUR OWN RIGHT.
THESE THINGS CAN SLIP RIGHT
UNDER YOUR NOSE IN TERMS OF
WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON, AND I
THINK THE TRADITION IN THIS
STATE HAS BEEN THAT CALIFORNIANS
OR TRANSACTION TRANSACTING REAL
ESTATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, UM, YOU
KNOW NOT WITH, UM FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS AND FOLKS. AH! FROM
MY NECK OF THE WOODS AND SILICON
VALLEY WHO ARE BILLIONAIRES WHO
ABSOLUTELY ARE GOING TO BE
DETERRED BY UM PRETTY PALTRY
WILLIAMSON ACT PENALTIES. THOSE
PENALTIES WEREN'T SET UP TO STOP
BILLIONAIRES. THOSE PENALTIES
WERE THE ACT WAS THEREFORE.
SMALL FARMERS AND RANCHERS OR
MEDIUM SIZED RANCHERS AND
FARMERS TO STAY IN BUSINESS, YOU
KNOW? BACK IN THE DAY. OF
COURSE, PRE PROP 13 PEOPLE WERE
BEING DRIVEN RIGHT OUT OF
BUSINESS BY ALTERNATING
REASSESSMENTS AND PROPERTY TAX
INCREASES THAT WERE UM, I KNOW
KILLED AGRICULTURE IN MY REGION
, WHICH WAS ONCE CALLED THE
VALLEY OF HORSE DELIGHT. THAT
SAID, UM I WANT TO APPRECIATE
BEING CALLED ON FIRST AND I
APOLOGIZE. I HAVE TO STEP OUT.
I'LL BE BACK. BUT I JUST STEP
OUT FOR A FEW MINUTES. UM TO
GREET SOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
THAT ARE HERE VISITING THE
CAPITALS. BUT I REALLY WANT TO
HEAR UM. BEYOND WHAT OUR GREAT
CONGRESSMAN JOHN GARAMENDI IS
DOING. AND THANK YOU FOR SUCH A
PROFOUNDLY THOUGHTFUL
PRESENTATION AND CORRESPONDING
DOCUMENTS. UM, BUT WITH THE
TOOLS THAT WE DO HAVE IN
CERTAINLY. THE GOVERNMENT
REORGANIZATION ACT. YOU KNOW, I
HAVE. I HAVE A FAMILIAL
CONNECTION TO THAT IN THIS STATE
. IT'S CALLED CORTESE KNOX AND
CORTESE KNOX HERTZBERG. BACK
WHEN THAT WORK WAS DONE. IT WAS
A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT
CULTURE. I THINK HERE IN
SACRAMENTO, WHERE PEOPLE WERE
HERE FOR YEARS. COMMITTEE STAFF
WERE IN PLACE FOR YEARS AND
PEOPLE REALLY WERE IN A YOU KNOW
, IN THE MODES TO BE ABLE TO
SPEND FOUR YEARS OR FIVE YEARS
COMPLETELY REWRITING. OR
SIGNIFICANTLY AUGMENTING THE
RULES AROUND, UM LANDES
TRANSACTIONS. UM LIKE THEY DID
BACK THEN, UM, WE HAVE BEEN IN
MORE OF A TRIAGE ENVIRONMENT, IN
MY OPINION, LEGISLATIVELY, AND
PART OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH TERM
LIMITS COMING INTO PLAY HERE AND
SHORTENING TENURES IN THE
LEGISLATURE AND SO FORTH. IT'S
WHO WOULD BE HERE FOR FOUR YEARS
, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO OR EIGHT
YEARS TO WORK ON SUCH A BIG
ENDEAVOR. BUT I THINK WE'RE BACK
IN A PLACE NOW WHERE WE CAN AND
FRANKLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT
DEEPER DIVES INTO UM YOU KNOW
OUR OWN STATUTES OUR OWN CODE
SECTIONS AND DO SO IN A HURRY
WHERE WE CAN UM, BUT BUT ALSO I
BELIEVE THE EXPERTISE IS HERE IN
THE CAPITAL TO DO THIS KIND OF
WORK, DESPITE THE FACT THAT YOU
KNOW, WE PROBABLY HAVEN'T DONE
IT FOR 30 YEARS. SO IF YOU GO
BACK TO THE WHOLE LAFCO SIDE OF
THINGS HERE IT STRIKES ME THAT
UM. IN A LIKE TO LIKE TO HEAR
FROM FROM YOU ON THE PANEL, BUT
IT STRIKES ME THAT THERE'S
OPPORTUNITY THERE. UM THERE'S
NOTHING STOPPING THE LEGISLATURE
FROM COMING IN AND PUTTING SOME
NEW GUARDRAILS IN IN TERMS OF
WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE DONE IN
TERMS OF THESE MEGA
TRANSACTIONS. UM, I THINK THAT
WAS PART OF THE POINT. WHEN YOU
REFER TO IT AS A TOOL, BUT BUT
IT'S NOT SUCH A GOOD TOOL, IF WE
JUST KEEP WHAT'S BEEN IN PLACE
FOR 20 OR 30 YEARS. WHEN THESE
KIND OF TRANSACTIONS REALLY
WEREN'T A PROBLEM OR WEREN'T
GOING ON. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW
MUCH WORK HAS BEEN DONE OR WHERE
YOU WOULD REFER US, YOU KNOW, TO
AUGMENT OUR OWN. UM LEGISLATIVE
RESEARCH ON WHERE TO GO. BESIDES
OUR OWN ALLEGED COUNCIL, BESIDES
GOOD COMMITTEE STAFF AND
GOVERNMENT AND FINANCE HERE IN
GOVERNMENT AND AG COMMITTEE AND
SO FORTH. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE
WOULD HAVE TO BRING. ANOTHER
LAYER TO THIS TYPE OF HEARING
NOW AND CONTINUE TO DIVE INTO
SPECIFICS. UM YOU KNOW, REAL
WRITTEN LANGUAGE, REAL LEGAL
LANGUAGE ON ON HOW TO COME IN
AND IF NOTHING ELSE, PUT A
MORATORIUM ON ON THESE KINDS OF
TRANSACTIONS, ALL OF WHICH I
THINK WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING
UNDER OUR OWN CONSTITUTION HERE.
ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? I'LL TAKE
A SWING AT IT. IT. THE TESTIMONY
THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED HERE AS
LEGISLATIVE GYMS IN EACH OF THE
TESTIMONIES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE
COMMITTEE COMMITTEE STAFF WHO
ARE OUT OF THE TESTIMONY,
WRITTEN IN MOST CASES, OR AT
LEAST TRANSCRIBED NOW. LITTLE OR
BIG. ISSUES SENATOR CHAIRPERSON
DORADO YOU HAVE A PIECE OF
LEGISLATION IN HAD BASICALLY
DEALS WITH FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF
LAND. BEFORE YOU GET TO THAT. WE
HAVE TO KNOW THAT SOMEBODY IS
ACTUALLY BUYING LAND, AND THE
TESTIMONY HERE INDICATED THE
NEED FOR INFORMATION. SO PERHAPS
YOU START WITH A PROCESS OF
REPORTING. OF AGRICULTURAL LAND
TRACKS TRANSACTIONS. YOU'LL HAVE
TO DEFINE AGRICULTURAL LAND.
YOU'VE HEARD DIFFERENT KINDS OF
RANGELAND, PRIME AGRICULTURAL
LAND AND SO FORTH. UM, SOIL
CONDITIONS, WHICH. 1978 WE
DEFINE THAT AND ACTUALLY MAPS IN
CALIFORNIA NOW DISPLAY THAT SO
YOU START WITH INFORMATION. AND
THEN YOU CAN BUILD UPON IT
ADDITIONAL PROHIBITIONS SUCH AS
THE SENATORS, UH, LEGISLATION UH
AND ALSO PROTECTIONS, WHICH WAS
THE SESSIONS THE ESSENCE OF MY
UH, TESTIMONY IS THAT THERE ARE
CERTAIN KEY. ASSETS. THAT YOU
WANT TO PROTECT. AH, THAT'S. AND
THEN I WANT TO ADD ONE MORE
THING, AND THIS WAS THE
TESTIMONY ABOUT THE FAMILY
FARMERS. THERE'S ACTUALLY MONEY
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO
FINANCE PROVIDE FINANCING FOR
START UP FAMILY FARMERS. AND
THAT. COULD BE AND IT SEEMS TO
ME SHOULD BE COORDINATED WITH
THE EFFORTS OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TO MAKE THAT MONEY
ATTRACTIVE AND PERHAPS EVEN WITH
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS, NOT
THAT YOU NEED MORE WORK TO DO.
BUT FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE TO COORDINATE AND
ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF STARTUP
FARMERS, WHICH WE HEARD EARLIER
TODAY TO ACCESS THAT MONEY.
THANK YOU, SENATOR. I GUESS WHAT
I DID, AND I DID SERVE ON THE
HERZBERG COMMISSION THAT UNTIL
NEEDED THAT WORK, AND WE'RE
TEARING WELL, NOT I WAS GONNA
SAY IN THE BUILDING, BUT IN THE
CAPITAL WHEN YOU'RE WHEN HER
FATHER WAS HERE AS WELL, AND I
THINK FOR THIS THIS HASN'T BEEN
AN ISSUE BECAUSE SO MANY OF
THESE, UM URBANIZATION CHANGES
HAVE OCCURRED THROUGH A MESSY
BUT ORDERLY PROCESS THROUGH THE
LAUGH, GO LAWS AROUND.
ANNEXATION ONE STEP AT A TIME OR
THERE MIGHT BE SOME AN
UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY THAT
HAS BEEN GROWING UNDER THE AEGIS
OF THE COUNTY. THAT NOW WANTS TO
INCORPORATE THE CASE THAT WE'RE
SEEING HERE THE FLARING CASE IN
PARTICULAR, BUT IT'S NOT UNIQUE
IN THE COUNTRY FOR SURE IS A
PROPOSAL FOR INCORPORATION OF
URBANIZATION OF AN AREA.
COMPLETELY BLANK SLATE FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF THE ORGANIZERS,
THE ALL THE COMMUNITIES
INFORMING THAT'S HAPPENING
UNDERNEATH AND NOT NOT NOT
PRESENT, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE
UNDER THE CURRENT LAFCO LAW
UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO CONTROL
FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN SPECIAL
DISTRICTS, AND YOU HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE
ZONING MAP, UM, AT THE AT THE AT
THROUGH A BALLOT INITIATIVE,
THAT SORT OF THING, AND SO THAT
I THINK IS WHERE THAT IF YOU
WERE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE AN
AREA TO SPEND SOME SOME REAL
THOUGHT TRYING TO FIX THE
COURTESY KNOCK SOCKS HERZBERG
LAW IS THAT ONE IS WHAT OCCURS
IN IN THAT SITUATION. WHERE, OUT
OF NOWHERE. YOU HAVE A PROPOSAL
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. THE SECOND
PIECE, WHICH I AM STILL THINKING
THROUGH MYSELF, WHICH IS BUT
THEN WHAT DO YOU DO? THAT THAT
THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THE TOOLS TO
BE ABLE TO SAY NO TO THE
PROJECT. BUT WE STILL HAVE THIS
ISSUE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT
EARLIER THAT THAT WHAT HAS TO DO
WITH ALL THE ACQUISITIONS THAT
OCCUR ON THE ON THE PROSPECT OF
THE PROJECT HAPPENING. IF THE
PROJECT DOESN'T HAPPEN, YOU END
UP BUT THE PEST ISSUES THAT HAVE
BEEN DESCRIBING ALL THE OTHER
ONES THAT I DESCRIBED AS WELL
AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT
MECHANISM. YOU RARELY SEE THAT
ANNEXATIONS. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST
IT'S A COUPLE MORE ACRES BEING
PUT INTO A COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT
THE END OF THE WORLD IF IT
EITHER WAY. THAT'S HOW IT GOES.
BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE YOU
HAVE THE COMPETITIVE THE CURRENT
LAW ALLOWS FOR THE COMPLETE
ERASURE. OF THE STATUS QUO PRIOR
TO THE VERY FIRST PUBLIC HEARING
OR VOTE, AND THAT I THINK IS
THAT THAT'S THE CHALLENGE WITHIN
THE CORTEZ INDEX SEARCH BERG
THAT'S GOT TO BE SOLVED. THANK
YOU AND, UM, SENATOR IF I CAN
JUST THROUGH THROUGH THE CHAIR,
UM GOING BACK TO THE EASEMENT
ISSUE AND WISH SENATOR LAIRD WAS
HERE BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS
AS RESOURCES SECRETARY. HE WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN INSTEAD OF THE
CALIFORNIA PROGRAM, WHICH IS
BIGGER THAN IT WAS ON DAY ONE,
BUT IT'S STILL REALLY REALLY
WOULD NEED TO BE AUGMENTED TO
TAKE ON WHAT I SEE GOING ON IN
MY OWN COUNTY WITH URBANIZATION
OF SOUTH COUNTY 12,000 ACRES
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE
THAT IS MORE OF A LOCAL LAND
GRAB DAY IN DAY OUT, APPLE
COMPUTER WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN
THERE YEARS AGO. HAD THEY BEEN
ABLE TO PULL IT OFF.
POLITICALLY, UM YOU KNOW, BUT
BUT WHEN YOU START DEALING WITH
THIS KIND OF ACREAGE, DO WE I'M
NOT. I KNOW WE HAVEN'T. WE
HAVEN'T BUILT THE BUCKET OF
MONEY UP IN TERMS OF A G
EASEMENTS AND KUDOS TO THOSE OF
YOU. WHO OF OUT OF THE KINDNESS
OF YOUR HEART OR AS IS
BENEFACTORS, YOU KNOW, SAID HEY,
I'M TURNING OVER AN EASEMENT. I
DON'T NEED A LOT OF MONEY BACK
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT ALL
OF THESE FARMERS ARE THE SAME
FOLKS WHO ARE SELLING OUT THERE
SELLING OUT UNDER PRESSURE
BECAUSE GENERATIONALLY AND I
KNOW I'M A THIRD GENERATION
FARMER FROM CALIFORNIA MYSELF. I
STUCK IT OUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE
1ST 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE. UM, BUT
WHAT'S YOU KNOW THE OBVIOUS
PROBLEM IS YOU GET TO A
GENERATION WHERE NOBODY IS
INTERESTED IN FARMING ANYMORE.
THE OLDER GENERATION NEEDS TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY OUT, AND THEN
SOMEBODY COMES ALONG. WITH THE
GRAB AND SAYS WE'RE YOUR BEST
FRIEND. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE'VE
GOT THE MONEY. WE'RE GOING TO DO
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING WITH FLANNERY
AND TO COMPETE WITH THAT WE HAVE
FOUND A SMALLER SKILL LEAST IN
OUR OWN COUNTY. IF YOU HAVE A G
ZEMAN MONEY AVAILABLE, FOLKS
WILL TAKE THAT. YOU KNOW IF THIS
ISN'T FARMERS ARE NOT TRYING TO
GO DOWN THE PATH OF EITHER
URBANIZATION OR MEGA DEALS. THEY
WOULD LOVE TO KEEP THEIR FEET
TITLE TO THEIR PROPERTY, BE ABLE
TO KEEP THAT AS PART OF THE
FAMILY LEGACY, AND THEN MAYBE
BRING A NEW IMMIGRANT FAMILY IN
OR A RETIRED CPA OR SOMEBODY TO
COME IN AND FARM OVER THE TOP OF
THAT PROPERTY UNDER THE
EASEMENT, SO IT'S A TERRIFIC
PROGRAM WE HAVE, BUT BUT MAYBE
THIS WILL BE THE IMPETUS FOR YOU
KNOW. THIS PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE
THIS GRAB PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE
MAYBE WOULD FINALLY BE THE
IMPETUS TO IT'S REALLY PUT A
HUGE COMMITMENT OF STATE DOLLARS
INTO THE AGGIES MINT PROGRAM. SO
AGAIN, THOSE ARE MORE COMMENTS.
I DON'T SUSPECT THERE'S TOO MUCH
ARGUMENT ABOUT THAT HERE. BUT
I'M GLAD TO GET THAT ON THE
RECORD. THANK YOU, SENATOR. IF I
MAY, UM, I JUST WANT TO, LIKE
PUT IT OUT THERE THAT THERE ARE
PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO
FARM, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A
MILLION DOLLARS TO GO BY LAND.
UM, THERE ARE ACTUALLY LOTS OF
THE OF YOUNG FOLKS THAT JUST
DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
SUDDENLY BE GIFTED MILLION
DOLLARS AND I'VE BEEN I ACTUALLY
WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THAT I'VE
BEEN EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH
SENATORS AND CONGRESS AND THE
FEDS, FRANKLY, FOR DOING
INCREDIBLE WORK IN TERMS OF
ACTUALLY CREATING SPACE FOR
BEGINNING AND UNDERSERVED
FARMERS TO ACCESS LAND THROUGH
THAT LAND CAPITAL MARKETS
PROGRAM. $300 MILLION WENT TO
PROGRAMS AND HOPEFULLY FARMERS
TO PURCHASE LAND. UM IT'S
POSSIBLE ACTUALLY, IF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO IT, WE
CERTAINLY CAN IN THIS STATE. UM
AND THEN THE OTHER POINT I
WANTED TO BRING UP HIS. YOU
KNOW, OF COURSE, AS THESE FARM
BILL, CONVERSATIONS ARE
HAPPENING, AND THERE'S SO MANY
AMAZING MARKER BILLS THAT ARE
COMING OUT AND THE ONE THAT I'VE
NOTICED MOST RECENTLY IS SENATOR
CORY BOOKER'S, WHICH IS THE
FARMLAND FOR FARMERS ACT, WHICH
REALLY STARTS TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT OF THAT'S THAT'S
ACTUALLY KEEP FARMLAND IN THE
FARMING COMMUNITIES. AND LET'S
START SLOWING DOWN THAT
TRANSITION THAT WE'RE ALL SEEING
AND FROM FARMERS TO INVESTMENT
COMPANIES AND SO ON. SO JUST
HIGHLIGHTING THOSE THOSE, YOU
KNOW, JUST THROWING KUDOS WHERE
THEY DESERVE TO BE. YEAH. THANK
YOU ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? GO AHEAD. HI I ALSO
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
TIME. HERE. I'LL BE VERY QUICK.
I WANT TO FOCUS ON FOREIGN LAND
OWNERSHIP BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN
A BILL THAT'S COME BEFORE US
HERE, AND WE'VE WRESTLED WITH IT
NOW FOR YEARS HERE, THE
LEGISLATURE. UM NOW SOME OF THE
BENEFITS, UM OR SOME OF THE
CONCERNS, I WOULD SAY LOSS OF
CONTROL OVER VALUABLE RESOURCES
, POTENTIAL EXPLOITATION OF OUR
LAND AND RESOURCES AND THEN ALSO
THE IMPACT. ON LOCAL FARMERS AND
COMMUNITIES, AND WE CERTAINLY
TALKED ABOUT THAT TODAY. HOWEVER
SOME OF THE PROPONENTS WOULD
ALSO NOTE THAT, UM THE FOREIGN
INVESTMENT AGRICULTURE ALSO HAS
A BENEFIT, SUCH AS INCREASED
CAPITAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND
ACCESS TO INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
. HOW DO WE BALANCE THE BENEFITS
AND THE RISKS? IN A STATE THAT
SO PROLIFIC AROUND BEING THE
FIRST AND EVERYTHING, SO HOW DO
WE BALANCE THAT MINDSET AND THAT
CULTURE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE
BEING SMART STEWARDS OF OUR
RAGLAND? YOUR YOUR ARGUMENT
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSFER. I
WOULD CHALLENGE THE REST OF THE
WORLD. TO BE AS CREATIVE. AND AS
ADVANCED IN TECHNOLOGY. AS
CALIFORNIA. THE EUROPEAN UNION
HAS MANY THINGS GOING FOR THEM,
PARTICULARLY ON THE ISSUES OF
PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES AND LIKE
, HOWEVER, THE CALEDONIAN
AMERICAN, PARTICULARLY
CALIFORNIA, YOU HAVE TO BE
CREATIVE. YOU HAVE TO USE THE
MOST MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND WE
ARE BLESSED IN CALIFORNIA, WITH
THE THING CALLED THE LAND.
GRANTS UNIVERSITIES. UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA SPECIFICALLY AND
NOW ALSO THE STATE UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM THAT IS THE BEST IN THE
WORLD ON ALL RESEARCH AND THE
APPLICATION OF THAT RESEARCH. TO
ADVANCE EFFICIENCY AND
EFFECTIVENESS IN IN FARMING, SO
I THINK THAT THE I'M GONNA GO
BACK. YOU CAN'T SOLVE A PROBLEM
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
PROBLEM IS WHERE IT IS AND HOW
IT'S HAPPENING SO I WOULD START
WITH AND PROBABLY SHOULD BE THE
LEAST OBJECTIONABLE. THAT IS
INFORMATION SIMPLY REQUIRING
THAT ANY. DEFINED AGRICULTURAL
LAND. THAT'S SWORD THAT
INFORMATION BE OF BEING MADE
PUBLIC AVAILABLE AS TO WHO IS
THE BUYER? AND REMEMBER, LLCS
ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO
HIDE THE REAL MONEY. SO YOU GOT
TO DEAL WITH THAT. AND THIS
SPECIFICALLY ON YOUR BILL,
MADAME CHAIR. AH! SECONDLY ONCE
YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION, IT IS
THEN EASIER TO MAKE A POLITICAL
ARGUMENT. TO ADDRESS THAT. IN
WHAT HOW YOU MAY WANT TO DO IT.
YOU MAY WANT TO DO IT WITH
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, AND I
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU MAY
WANT TO DO IT AS MR AS WE SAID
ABOUT THE MECHANISMS OF
GOVERNMENT, STRENGTHENING THEM
IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, SO THAT
THEY CAN ACT AND YOU MAY WANT TO
ALSO PUT SOME MONEY UP FRONT. UH
HUH. AND THAT DEALS NOT JUST
WITH THE EASTMAN'S BUT ALSO WITH
YOUNG FARMERS COMING IN, UH,
I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
AND I'VE WATCHED A BEAUTIFUL
THING. HAPPENING IN CALIFORNIA.
AND THAT IS THE TRANSITION. IN
MY COMMUNITY WANT TO GROVE,
MOSTLY ITALIAN FARMERS OR
EUROPEAN FARMERS. FILIPINOS
ASIANS CAME INTO WORK THE FARMS
PRETTY SOON THEY BECAME THE
TENANTS. OR THE MANAGERS, THEN
THE TENANTS AND THEN THE OWNERS
. NOW THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE
HISPANIC COMMUNITY. HOW DO YOU
MAKE ALLOW THAT? AND ENCOURAGE
THAT TO HAPPEN. AND THEY HAVE
BEEN THESE SUGGESTIONS THAT
YOU'VE HEARD HERE TODAY AND YOU
MIGHT COUPLE STATE PROGRAMS AND
MIGHT JUST UM IT MAY BE MONEY.
TO COME ON TOP OF THE FEDERAL
PROGRAMS AS WAS DISCUSSED, BUT
IT MIGHT BE ALSO INFORMATION AND
ACCESS. AND HERE'S WHERE THE
STATE AND THE FEDERAL OR THE
LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA CAN HELP. AND THAT IS
TO THAT THOSE THAT ORGANIZATION
CAN PROVIDE SPECIFIC
INFORMATION. TO ASSIST A NEW
FARMER. IN VERY, VERY VALUABLE
INFORMATION. AND, FOR EXAMPLE,
MARKET DATA. WHAT'S WHAT'S THE
MARKET DATA? I GROW. HEY. I'M
HAVING A HELL OF A TIME FINDING
OUT WHAT THE MARKET IS TODAY.
AND BUT I NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE I
WANT TO SELL. I DON'T WANT TO
SIT THERE AND WRITE A WINNER OR
WINTER. SO ANYWAY, THERE'S A
SERIES OF THINGS YOU CAN DO TO
ASSIST THE STARTUP FARMER AND I
WOULD REALLY URGE YOUR ATTENTION
TO THAT. WHO YOU SAID. 7000
ACRES ABANDONED AND THE THREAT
THAT THAT POSES TO THE OTHER.
THAT'S WHERE YOUR INFORMATION
COMES IN. IF THAT INFORMATION
WAS AVAILABLE EARLIER, MAYBE
MAYBE SOMETHING COULD HAVE BEEN
DONE WORKING WITH THE INVESTOR
TO SAY. JUST DON'T ABANDON THIS.
LET'S BRING INTO THIS. A SERIES
OF SMALL FARMERS. LET HER GO AT
THAT, UM THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. OKAY I WILL, UH, NOT ASK
TOO MANY QUESTIONS. I THINK
THERE'S MY QUESTION REALLY DEALS
WITH, UM, OBVIOUSLY, GETTING HIM
BE INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT. UM
LLCS HAVE YOU KNOW? HI CAN HAVE
THE ABILITY TO HIDE THEIR YOU
KNOW WHO'S ACTUALLY BEHIND THEM?
AND I KNOW THAT A COUPLE OF
YEARS AGO THERE AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, UM THE CORPORATE
TRANSPARENCY ACT WAS PASSED SO
KIND OF IN AN EFFORT TO, UH, TO
TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S
TRENDS TRANSPARENCY BEHIND THESE
, UM, THESE THESE SOME OF THESE
COMPANIES. AND I KNOW THAT
THEY'RE BEGINNING TO ROLL OUT
THE RULES AND THE REGULATIONS
AND TRYING TO IMPLEMENT IT. I
GUESS MY QUESTION IS, HOW CAN
WE? HOW CAN WE IMPROVE? UM OR
HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO
SPEED UP THAT PROCESS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA AND, UM AND MY SECOND
QUESTION REALLY DEALS WITH WHAT
ARE AND I GUESS THIS IS MORE FOR
NATE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU BRIEFLY
MENTIONED OR TOUCHED ON IT ON ON
THE PUBLIC PENSION PIECE. BUT
WHAT? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, UM,
TRANSIT YOU'RE SEEING IN TERMS
OF HOW MONEY IS BEING USED TO
BUY, YOU KNOW FOREIGN COUNTRIES
TO INVEST IN THE U. S. UM YES.
SO UM, THE CANADIAN PENSION FUND
WAS MENTIONED THAT CANADIANS ONE
OF THE GENTLEMEN THAT WAS
INTERVIEWED IN OUR FILM IS A
WALL STREET INVESTOR. I MEAN, HE
HELPED BUILD UP WITH THE
CANADIAN PENSION FUND, A VERY
LARGE AND SIZABLE PIECE OF LAND
. HOLDEN LANDHOLDINGS ACROSS THE
U. S. THAT WERE THEN LATER
TRANSFERRED TO THE, UH, THE
GATES FAMILY TRUST, WHICH IS
RECENTLY BEEN REPORTED THAT BILL
AND, UH, MELINDA GATES FAMILY
TRUST WAS THE LARGEST FARMLAND
HOLDER IN THE UNITED STATES, AND
THAT SORT OF BEGAN WITH CANADIAN
PENSION FUND MONEY. SO UM,
YOU'RE YOU'RE REALLY SEEING IT.
IT'S A COMPLEX EVOLUTION. BUT
WHAT'S CLEAR IS THAT
INCREASINGLY LARGE AMOUNTS OF
MONEY FROM PEOPLE DRIVEN BY
PROFITS, UM, THAT ARE VIEWING
LAND AGRICULTURAL LAND AS A, UM,
A PRIME WAY TO GENERATE SAFE
PROFITS. UM, HEADREST TO
PROFITS. AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE
THE TREND OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
THAT ARE INCREASINGLY WORRIED
ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO FEED
THEIR OWN POPULATIONS AND WANT
TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THEIR FOOD
SUPPLIES VERTICALLY MEANING
OWNING THE LAND. AND YOU HAVE
THESE TWO THINGS HAPPENING IN
PARALLEL AND OBVIOUSLY FEEDING
OFF OF EACH OTHER. SO IT'S A
FAIRLY COMPLEX SYSTEM. UM THERE
IS CURRENTLY A FEDERAL REGISTRY
THAT FOREIGN INVESTORS INTO
FARMLAND HAVE TO REGISTER WITH.
SO BY FEDERAL LAW YOU DO THROUGH
, I FORGET WHAT IT STANDS FOR,
BUT THE ACRONYM IS A FEED A F I
D A. IF YOU ARE A FOREIGNER, AND
YOU BUY FARMLAND IN THE U. S.
YOU ARE REQUIRED WHEN I LOOKED
INTO THIS SEVERAL YEARS BACK,
THE COMPLIANCE WASN'T THAT HIGH
. THE PENALTIES ARE ACTUALLY
QUITE HIGH FOR NOT COMPLYING,
BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE
COMPLIANCE WAS REALLY ALL THAT
WELL ENFORCED. UM SO THAT'S YOU
KNOW, THAT'S ONE PLACE THAT IN
THEORY, WHEN, WHEN THIS LAND
AROUND TRAVIS WAS BEING
PURCHASED BEFORE THE NEW YORK
TIMES PUBLISHED THE OWNERS I
WENT TO THAT DATABASE AND THEY
WEREN'T REGISTERED, SO THEY WERE
EITHER NOT FOREIGN OWNED, OR
THEY WEREN'T IN COMPLIANCE,
WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY
SIGNIFICANT PENALTY. UM SO, UM,
THERE ARE SOME IDEAS JUST A WAY
OF SAYING THERE ARE SOME LAWS IN
PLACE TO BEGIN TO TRACK IT NOT
ON THE STATE LEVEL, BUT ON THE
FEDERAL LEVEL. IT'S UM IT'S A
TREND THAT APPEARS TO BE
INCREASING. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
MANY WHEN I LOOK AT THE
PROSPECTUS IS OF THESE LARGE
INVESTMENT COMPANIES. THEY SAY
IT IS THE INCREASING GLOBAL
POPULATION. THE INCREASING
WEALTH OF THE WORLD, UM, THAT
ARE EATING HIGHER UP ON THE FOOD
CHAIN. LESS GRAINS, MORE MEAT
DRIVEN DIETS WAS JUST REQUIRE
MORE WATER TO GROW MORE GRAINS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WHY CHINA IS THE
LARGEST IMPORTER OF GREENS FROM
THE UNITED STATES. VERY HEALTHY
MARKET. IT'S VERY HEALTHY FOR
FARMERS TO HAVE THAT MARKET, BUT
IT ALSO CREATES CERTAIN
COMPLEXITIES IS THAT INCREASES
UM. I DON'T KNOW IF I REALLY
ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT, UH
THERE WAS A BUNCH OF INFORMATION
IN THERE. SO YEAH, THANK YOU.
WHERE I THINK YOU CAN START
HERE, AND THAT IS HEY. REAL
ESTATE TRANSACTIONS OF THE
AGRICULTURAL LAND THAT YOU CARE
ABOUT, AND WANTED TO FIND THAT
HEY, STATE REGISTRY. AND UM,
REQUIREMENT THAT BEFORE A DEED
CAN BE UH, ENTERED INTO A COUNTY
UM. THAT THAT INFORMATION MUST
BE MADE AVAILABLE IF IT IS THE
DEFINED AGRICULTURAL LAND. AND
IT MAY BE RANGE LAND IT MAYBE
OTHER KINDS OF PRODUCTION LAND.
THAT THEN PROVIDES YOU THE
DATABASE AND THE FEDERAL
DATABASE IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE
BECAUSE IT IS NOT USED. THE
PERCENTAGES. IT'S PROBABLY NO
MORE THAN 20% OF THE
TRANSACTIONS ARE ACTUALLY
REGISTERED. BUT THE STATE COULD
SET UP A REGISTRY AND YOU HAVE A
MECHANISM TO DO IT. AND THAT IS
THE RECORDING OF A DEED, WHICH
IS FUNDAMENTAL TO LAND
TRANSACTIONS. AND THEN FROM
THERE, YOU CAN THEN BUILD THE
POLITICAL UM UNDERSTANDING AND
SUPPORT. BASED UPON FOREIGN
OWNERSHIP OR CERTAIN KINDS OF
TRANSACTIONS THAT MIGHT
IMPLICATE. NATIONAL SECURITY.
UM, NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE IS
NOT JUST A MILITARY BASE. IT MAY
VERY WELL BE A TRANSFORMER. AT
VACAVILLE. DRIVE DOWN INTERSTATE
80 LOOK TO THE NORTH AS YOU
APPROACHED VACAVILLE AND YOU GO.
OH, MY GOD. IF THAT'S NOT
ENOUGH, HE MAY WANT TO GO OVER
THE UM, THE PAST THE PACHECO
PASS AND LOOK AT THE
TRANSFORMERS AS YOU GET TOWARDS
I FIVE. SO THERE ARE NATIONAL
SECURITY ISSUES FAR BEYOND
MILITARY BASE, AND YOU WANT TO
BE VERY AWARE OF THOSE THOSE
HAPPEN TO BE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL
TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. I
DON'T LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING IF I
COULD THANK YOU. YES. GO AHEAD,
MADONNA. UM IN A COMMENTING
ABOUT BEING ABLE TO KNOW WHO
THESE BUYERS AND SELLERS ARE AND
BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCURATE DATA
, I THINK THAT SOMETHING NEEDS
TO HAPPEN AS FAR AS, UM, THE
LAWS REGARDING DATA COLLECTION
AT THE TIME AN ESCROW CLOSES
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY
TIME YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE EVERY
SINGLE PARTY AVAILABLE AND THEY
CAN ALL GET TOGETHER AND HAVE
THAT INFORMATION AND THAT
INFORMATION CAN BE PUT IN. TO A
DATABASE BECAUSE WITHOUT HAVING
ANY KIND OF RULES AND
REGULATIONS REGARDING THAT, YOU
REALLY AREN'T GOING TO KNOW. WHO
THE OWNERS ARE SIGNERS ARE ON
THE BUYING SIDE. OR REALLY, UM,
SO IT'S JUST CRITICAL THAT THAT
THERE ARE SOME REGULATIONS THAT
CHANGE AS FAR AS COLLECTING THAT
INFORMATION. THE OTHER THING I
WANTED TO COMMENT ON REAL QUICK
IS WE HAVE A AND, UH, YOUNG
GENTLEMAN WHO WORKS FOR US, AND
HE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GET
INTO FARMING. AND SO WE FOUND A
PARCEL OF LAND FOR HIM AND HE
WENT THROUGH. THE USDA. HE WENT
THROUGH FARM CREDIT WEST FOR
BEING ABLE TO FIND A LOAN IN
ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE
THAT LAND. AND UM, IN THE END,
IT JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT BECAUSE
IN ORDER FOR ANY KIND OF
FINANCING TO HAPPEN AT THIS
POINT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO
SOURCES OF WATER THAT ARE
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. AND WHILE
HE WAS IN A GREAT WATER
DISTRICT, HE HAD GREAT WATER
ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE CANAL.
HE DID NOT HAVE A WEALTH. AND SO
HE COULD NOT PURCHASE THE LAND.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO PROVIDE
THAT AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOUNG
FARMERS ARE FACING IN TRYING TO
GET INTO FARMING AND INDUSTRY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADONNA.
WELL, I ONCE AGAIN WANT TO THANK
, UM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A WANT TO GO
TO THE TELEPHONE, THE TELEPHONE
CONFERENCE LINE TO SEE IF
THERE'S UH ANY INDIVIDUALS
WILLING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. UM, SO IF
THERE ARE ANY INDIVIDUALS HERE
WILL BEGIN. ACTUALLY HERE IN THE
ROOM. IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT
WANTS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT
, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE ONE
MINUTE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE KEEP IT SHORT AND BE MINDFUL
OF OUR PANELISTS AND MAKING SURE
THAT THEY MAKE IT HOME ON TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM. TURN
MEMBERS, KARIN LANG. I'M THE
REGISTERED LOBBYISTS FOR THE
SOLANO COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS FROM A VERY
INTRIGUED BY THE HEARING THIS
AFTERNOON. IT'S BEEN GOING ON
FOR QUITE A WHILE THAT OBVIOUSLY
THE ARTICULATED AT THE POINTS
THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS
OFFICE SENT TO ME HAVE ALL BEEN
COVERED BY YOUR WONDERFUL PANEL.
I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, YOU
KNOW THEY WERE TRYING TO GET TO
FLANNERY FOR A FEW YEARS. THEY
SAW THE PATTERN. THE MAPS WERE
DEVELOPED WHILE AGO THEY WERE
VERY ALARMED. AND I KNOW THAT
IT'S FOCUSED ON FORMING TODAY,
BUT THE AIR FORCE PHASE IS
ABSOLUTELY INCOMPATIBLE WITH
WIND ENERGY INSTALLATIONS GOING
IN THERE. SO EVEN IF THEY GIVE
UP THE DREAM OF BUILDING HOUSING
THERE AND THE AIR FORCE BASE IS
AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ECONOMIC
DRIVER IN IN THE COUNTY, AND
IT'S ALSO OF COURSE, HELPING
UKRAINE RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S JUST
ANY THREAT TO THAT WE WOULD URGE
THE LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE MORE
TOOLS HERE OR LOCALLY TO MAKE
SURE THAT AND THESE THINGS ARE
TRACKED AND THAT WE ARE
PROTECTING NATIONAL DEFENSE
INTERESTS INSIDE OF OUR
COUNTIES, AND, OF COURSE, THE
AGRICULTURAL LOSSES THAT WERE
DESCRIBED AND THE LACK OF UM I'M
A SOLUTION GOING FORWARD FROM
BEING ABLE TO BRING FARMING BACK
ONCE IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE, AND
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD
BE GRATEFUL YOU'RE CONSIDERING
TODAY YOUR PANEL IS PERFECT.
THEY DON'T EVEN NEED A LOBBYIST
TODAY, BUT I JUST APPRECIATE THE
HEARING AND THANK YOU FOR
RAISING ALL THE POINTS TODAY.
THANK YOU NEXT. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE
TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL
THE PANELISTS WERE ABLE TO JOIN
US, AND WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT
DIFFERENT THREATS TO
AGRICULTURE. AND I THINK HAVING
RESOURCES TO MANAGE ALL OF THESE
ARE CRITICAL, BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO MENTION ANOTHER LOOMING
THREAT THAT MR DALBAR NOTED.
CALIFORNIA'S RAPIDLY GROWING
REGULATORY OBLIGATIONS. THIS IS
DEATH BY 1000 CUTS FOR A LOT OF
OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES,
CALIFORNIA'S AND FARMERS AND
RANCHERS AREN'T STRANGERS TO
ADAPTATION, SO THERE'S PRIDE TO
BE EARNED IN BEING RESILIENT IN
THE FACE OF CHALLENGES, BUT WITH
EVERY POLICY SHIFT COMES A NEW
REGULATION AND THE COST TO THE
FARM GROWS. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT
WATERBOARD FEES AND UTILITY
RATES IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SOME
OF THOSE INCREASING COSTS OVER
TIME. WATER QUALITY FEES ALONE
HAVE GRAZED 150% IN THE LAST 10
YEARS, AND THEN THERE'S AN 8.5%
INCREASE THAT'S BEING
CONTEMPLATED SO EVEN IF YOU
COULD OVERCOME THE LAND
OWNERSHIP CHALLENGES THAT
DOMINATE A LOT OF THE
CONVERSATION TODAY. THERE'S REAL
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
YOU COULD EVEN AFFORD THAT LAND
TO FARM. AND AS YOU HEAR
FREQUENTLY IN YOUR COMMITTEE, UM
AND IN YOUR DISTRICT, THESE
COSTS PUT PRESSURE ON THE
HARDEST, UM, FAMILY FIRMS IN
CALIFORNIA. SO WE HOPE THAT YOU
CONSIDER THESE IMPACTS IN YOUR
LAST FEW WEEKS. A SESSION. THANK
YOU. OF COURSE. THANK YOU. CAN
YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND
ORGANIZATION TO TAKE THE
RUSSIAN? I REPRESENT A WHOLE
VARIETY OF AGRICULTURAL
ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMODITY
GROUPS, RIGHT? THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER INDIVIDUALS? OKAY?
AFTERNOON CHAIR. MY NAME IS
PETER ANSEL FROM THE CALIFORNIA
FARM BUREAU. I WANTED TO THANK
YOU FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING
THIS AFTERNOON. IT'S IMPORTANT
TO OUR MEMBERS AND SOLANO COUNTY
AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THEY
FEEL A LOT OF PRESSURE
CONSTANTLY ON THEIR AGRICULTURE
OPERATIONS AND THEIR ABILITY TO
FARM. UM AND WHEN THERE'S
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO THE GROUPS
ARE THAT ARE PURCHASING AG
LANDS, AND THERE'S UNCERTAINTY
ABOUT WHO THOSE ACTORS ARE. IT
CERTAINLY RAISES THE ALARM BELLS
FOR THEM. UM YOU KNOW FARMERS,
UH, APPRECIATE A RURAL WAY OF
LIFE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF
CONSTERNATION. CURRENTLY THAT
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY AND AN
ATTEMPT OF, UM WEALTHY PEOPLE
AND IN PLACE THAT DON'T LIKE TO
BUILD HOUSING TO JUST SIMPLY
MOVE THAT HOUSING TO RURAL
COMMUNITIES, AND, UH AND THAT'S
OBVIOUSLY GOT OUR MEMBERSHIP
QUITE CONCERNED. SO WE
APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING
ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE THIS
AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. OKAY IF
THERE ARE NO OTHER INDIVIDUALS
HERE TO PROVIDE COMMENT, WILL
MOVE TO THE TELEPHONE PUBLIC
COMMENT LINE AND THAT NUMBER
ONCE AGAIN IS 187722682. 16. AND
MODERATOR, CAN YOU PLEASE LET US
KNOW HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE ON
IN THE CUBE? YES THANK YOU FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU MAY PRESS
ONE THAN ZERO. MADAM CHAIR. WE
HAVE ONE IN. Q, OKAY? THANK YOU.
CAN YOU PLEASE GO TO LINE 10?
HELLO THIS IS HERNANDEZ. I AM
THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CITY,
WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO TRAVIS
AIR FORCE BASE. I WANT TO FIRST
CONGRATULATE EVERYONE. FOR THIS
DISCUSSION. IT HAS BEEN ONLY
INFORMATIVE FOR EVERYONE WHO IS
LEARNING ABOUT THE LAND USE AND
EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON
LOCALLY. BUT I THINK FOR MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE TUNING IN
AND SEEING THE WORK TAKING PLACE
AT JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR THE WORK. TRAVIS SPACE
LOCALLY IS IMPERATIVE TO OUR
COMMUNITY. AS THE LARGEST SINGLE
EMPLOYER IN OUR LOCATION, SO I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
OTHER WORK THAT'S TAKING PLACE
AS WELL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
. WE HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT AND QUÊ. THANK YOU.
MODERATOR WILL HAVING HEARD ALL
PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND FROM OUR
PANELISTS HERE TODAY? UM, I WANT
TO SAY THAT THE INFORMATION WAS
JUST EXTREMELY VALUABLE. THANK
YOU. SO MUCH FOR COMING FOR
ATTENDING FOR PROVIDED, UM,
INPUT INSURANCE, CALIFORNIA'S
AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY REMAINS
VITAL AND THAT WE PROTECT THE
LAND THAT WE HAVE. IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO, UM TO MYSELF TO
THE COMMITTEE. AND, OF COURSE TO
EVERYONE THAT IS HERE IN THIS
ROOM AND BEYOND. UM, I AM
HOPEFUL THAT THE INFORMATION
GAINED THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE
BENEFICIAL IN FINDING LASTING
SOLUTION TO THIS PRESSING ISSUE
AND AS THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE
AG COMMITTEE, MY STAFF AND I
WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THREATS
TO CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE AND
WILL DO EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR
PURVIEW TO COMBAT THEM AS THEY
ARISE. I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES, COMMITTEE STAFF AND
FOR EVERYONE ELSE WHO
CONTRIBUTED TODAY'S HEARING. I
KNOW THAT IT WASN'T A LITTLE BIT
LONGER. APPRECIATE YOUR
PATIENTS. UH AND I ALSO WANT TO
THANK ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO
CALLED IN TO PARTICIPATE AND
PROVIDE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WITH
THAT I. THIS CONCLUDES OUR
AGENDA, SO THE COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE IS NOW ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU. AH!